Spain and fracking

The Spanish fossil fuel trade group, Aciep, has claimed that Spain boasts enough prospective natural gas resources to meet the country’s domestic demand for more than 70 years (2.05 trillion cubic meters of gas, 80% of which is shale gas.) Wanting to cut dependence on imports and possibly lower energy prices, the Spanish government has worked to reduce barriers to energy for any international oil and gas companies trying to develop shale gas in the country, such as BNK Petroleum Inc. and San Leon Energy Plc. Spain’s richest shale gas reserves have been determined to exist in the northern region of Cantabria.

Roughly 27 investigation permits - mainly for hydraulic fracturing - were requested in 2012, with 19 granted, according to a report from Spain’s Council of Mining Engineers.

In April 2013 the local Cantabrian government implemented the country’s first fracking ban, worried that such activities may pollute local sources of drinking water. The ban crimped Repsol SA's plans to begin drilling for shale gas in July 2013.

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