The business secretary says fracking is not the answer to the UK’s energy crisis, as he orders a quickfire review into the danger of earthquakes.
The British Geological Survey will investigate whether the risks have altered since the government was forced to slap a moratorium on drilling for shale gas in 2019.
But Kwasi Kwarteng made clear his clash with Tory MPs demanding the ban is lifted, saying “the pause will remain in place” unless the scientific evidence has changed.
“It remains the case that fracking in England would take years of exploration and development before commercial quantities of gas could be produced for the market, and would certainly have no effect on prices in the near term,” the business secretary said.
Boris Johnson raised the hopes of pro-fracking Tories by agreeing an “energy security strategy” – to be set out this week – will consider lifting the current ban.
But many other Conservative MPs, including ministers, are opposed, believing the technology is far more unpopular with voters than onshore wind farms.
Mr Kwarteng has called for the latest scientific evidence – asking for a report by June – to “assess if any progress has been made” over the last three years.
But handing the controversy over to the scientists could make it less likely that the government will bow to pressure from pro-frackers on the Tory benches.
The business secretary said: “In light of Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine, it is absolutely right that we explore all possible domestic energy sources.”
But he warned the technology’s supporters: “We have always been, and always will be, guided by the science on shale gas.”
The British Geological Survey will be “a desk-based exercise”, Mr Kwarteng said, so “no drilling of any further test wells or seismic monitoring will take place”.
The prime minister appears likely to throw his weight behind a big expansion of offshore – but not onshore – wind in his energy strategy, plus controversial new North Sea oil and gas licences.
He also wants to revive nuclear power, including smaller modular reactors, but has been locked in a battle with the chancellor Rishi Sunak over cost.
Experts have strongly criticised the view that fracking can meaningfully contribute to diversifying energy sources, given the difficulty of extracting the UK’s reserves.
Ministers were forced to impose the moratorium in 2019, because of warnings that it is not possible to predict accurately the danger of earth tremors.
Drilling was blamed for minor earthquakes, including a 2.9 magnitude tremor near Blackpool, in August 2019, which led to the suspension of operations.
Scotland and Wales had already turned their backs on fracking, which involves releasing natural gas from deep underground by blasting a mixture of water and chemicals into shale rock deposits.
