79% would prefer UK shale gas rather than Imported LNG

Survey shows 79% would prefer to use UK shale gas rather than Imported LNG

A survey has revealed that 79% have said they would prefer to use UK shale gas over imported Liquefied Natural gas (LNG).

The survey of 500 people by market research company Usurv on 24th October, on behalf of CNG Services, found nearly eight in ten people would use shale gas for their central heating rather than imported LNG.

Plans have recently been approved for fracking at Cuadrilla's Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton in Lancashire and 75% in the North West said they are in favour of using UK shale for heating.

Gas industry expert and Lancastrian John Baldwin, managing director of CNG Services and one of the architects of the renewable gas industry in the UK, commented: “The overwhelming preference for UK shale clearly demonstrates that the public are positive about building an onshore gas sector in the UK.”

“It doesn’t make sense to import LNG thousands of miles when we are standing on natural gas which we can safely extract and inject straight into our gas grid to heat our homes. It seems that, with the assurance that regulation will ensure safe extraction, people are enthusiastic about building a UK shale industry.”

“It has always been very difficult to understand why environmental activists are opposed to shale gas as gas is the ideal fuel for back-up generation for intermittent wind and solar especially if produced in the UK with a much lower carbon footprint than imported LNG.”

“Shale gas will give the UK a massive financial boost and the tax received can be used to fund gas demand reduction and renewables. Even better if the US and Qatar LNG that is not needed in the UK goes to China and helps coal to stay in the ground. I am thrilled that the gas under our family farm can be used to help the entire planet to reduce its carbon footprint and create wealth for Lancashire folk.”


Ends


For more information please contact:
Suzanne Orsler, SOPR
T - 07813 131350
E – Suzanne@sopr.co

John Baldwin, CNG Services
T -– 07831 241217
john.baldwin@cngservices.co.uk



Note to editors:


Survey Breakdown:

Looking at location, over 92% of people in the West Midlands were pro UK shale, with the lowest percentage in the South East, which still stood at 73%. In the North West, where plans have been approved for fracking at Cuadrilla's Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton in Lancashire, 75% were in favour of using UK shale for heating.

The survey showed that women were slightly more in favour with 82% opting for UK shale gas. In terms of income, the lower the income group the more favour people were in terms of using UK gas. 84% in the less than £10,000 groups choosing UK shale only reducing to 74% for those with more than more than £40,000 a year.

92% of over 65 year olds gave the thumbs up to shale, as did 85% of 18 – 24 year old, showing support for using UK produced gas extended through all age groups.


Methodology

Instant public reactions, broadly representative of the online population. Post-weighted to be representative of the UK population according to 2011 Census data.

500 Respondents weighted By Gender, Income, Location, Age Range


Question - If you had gas central heating, would you prefer your home to be heated by safely produced low GHG shale gas from the UK (that pays production tax) or imported LNG shipped from the Middle East (that pays no tax on production)?

Answer - UK Shale or Imported LNG from the Middle East


CNG Services Ltd
CNG Services Ltd (CSL) provides design, build and project management services to new gas pipelines, CNG filling stations, biomethane to grid plants and in relation to onshore natural gas processing plants. This includes connections to the high pressure LTS (Local Transmission System) and NTS (National Transmission System) where CSL integrates the design and build of the LTS/NTS connection and associated pipeline with the main project which can be CNG filling station, gas power plant, biomethane to grid plant or onshore gas processing facility.

As far back as 2010, CNG Services developed a pilot project with Centrica, Thames Water and Southern Gas Networks at Didcot sewage treatment works. This injected biomethane into the gas grid in 2010 and its success overcame Health and Safety Executive (HSE) related gas quality issues.

To date, CNG Services has been involved in around 90% of the 78 BtG connections in the UK.

In 2016 CNG Services was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – Innovation for its key role in the development of the biomethane industry.

John Baldwin also chairs the Renewable Energy Association Biogas Group and was the instigator of the ‘not for profit’ Green Gas Certification Scheme.
www.cngservices.co.uk