Half the UK

The investigation into shale gas continues with an intial assessment of the potential of Britain's geology for shale gas exploitation.  A report produced for the Department of Energy and Climate Change estimates that up to half of the UK could have suitable geology.  This isn't too much of a surprise, as shale is the most common sedimentary rock and hasn't featured as a strategiec resource for the country in the past.

The resource is there, the question remains whether the economics, energy security and environmental demands can all be made to balance.  What do you think?