Richard Moorman insists that Tamboran will be able to use chemical-free fracking.

Report on chemical-free fracking due next week

Scottish researchers are to provide their judgement on whether chemical-free fracking is possible is expected to be published next week. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commissioned the University of Aberdeen to carry out the research with a modest budget of €6,000 last September. The report was due to be published in "early 2012", but the EPA revised the date to the end of February, and again to next "mid-week next week". It is understood that the EPA have the report at present. A spokesperson for the Agency told the Anglo-Celt: "There was no specific reason for the delay in publishing this report. Such delays will occur between signing off changes between author, peer reviewers etc. But looks good to go now mid-week next week." An analysis of whether chemical-free fracking is feasible, will form one of six aspects of the Scottish university's desktop study. This is significant given Tamboran, which have a licence option for the Lough Allen Carboniferous Basin, insisted that they can extract gas without the use of chemicals - something not conducted commercially anywhere in the world. Prior to July 2011 they had told The Anglo-Celt they intended to use chemicals. The University of Aberdeen report will also examine the environmental considerations and impacts of shale gas exploration and extraction, and investigate the regulatory approaches of other countries, with a view to helping to establish best environmental practice. In their brief for the university the EPA acknowledge they will have to get up to speed to oversee a technology which has never before been used in Ireland: "It is envisaged that the EPA will be a statutory consultee with respect to any environmental impact assessment required for shale gas projects at the exploration stage, and will therefore be required to gain expert knowledge on the environmental impacts in order to fulfil this role. "Such knowledge would also be required to assess any licence applications for commercial gas extraction in the future." Meanwhile the IFA President John Bryan told the Celt that the association is adopting a wait and see stance to the fracking controversy. The IFA has met with the EPA to discuss the issue. Mr Bryan said that in IFA county executive meetings where the topic was raised they said they would consider inviting experts over from areas where fracking has been conducted. "It is very early yet to make a decision on something that we don't know adequately about. We have certainly been very clear that long before any further decisions would be made a lot more information would have to be got - and have a good open debate. I can't be for or against something I don't know enough about." Scope of University of Aberdeen report: • The potential environmental impacts of fracking, in particular, and shale gas extraction in general • The potential for methane and chemical migration into ground water as a result of fracking • The role of local geology in successful fracking and shale gas extraction • The regulatory approaches taken in other countries where the fracking technique has been used • Best environmental practice for shale gas exploration and extraction using the fracking technique • Fracking without the use of chemicals and the reality of such a proposal.