Prof Christine Wheeler McNulty rails that the UK has yet to exploit shale gas ‘bubbling’ in the rock beneath us, as she puts it (On the bandwagon, Letters, August 9).

Or, to call it by its less cuddly name - ‘Fracking’.

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Indeed Sir Jim Ratcliffe of Ineos, CEO of shale gas company Ineos, has also vented his vitriol at government intransigence on the issue for not giving the green light to fracking, she tells us.

Well he would wouldn’t he.

It may have escaped her notice but Cuadrilla, a fracking company, did initiate some explorative drilling in Lancashire not so long ago.

It may also have eluded her that subsequent to this there were reports of minor tremors in the area.

Fracking is a controversial process which involves drilling deep into the ground, then blasting a mix of chemicals under extreme pressure to fracture the earth’s crust thereby releasing the shale gas. It has been associated with causing earthquakes and the shale gas contaminating the water supply with incidences of water from taps spontaneously igniting.

Which is probably why at present the government have decided by taking up Prof Wheeler’s much vaunted shale gas exploration, we will be digging ourselves an even deeper hole (both literally and figuratively).

Prof Wheeler will be aware most of the UK has been identified for its fracking potential with geological surveys revealing vast shale gas reserves in the subterranea ripe for drilling.

As she’s so keen on shale perhaps she would like to offer up her own backyard for drilling?

Dave Degen

Whippendell Road, Watford