French oil giant Total to invest in UK shale gas

It was announced on the 13 January 2014 that French oil and gas company Total was to invest in the United Kingdom's shale gas industry. Total would be the first of the so-called 'oil majors' to invest in shale gas in the UK.

Despite being a controversial process for environmental reasons the announcement was welcomed by the UK government which championed shale gas as a major source of the UK's future energy needs.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said that local councils that backed fracking would get to keep more money in tax revenue as part of an 'all-out' drive to promote drilling.

The EU’s Competition Commissioner, Joaquín Almunia, said that the Commission would investigate the UK’s plans for incentivising shale gas production 'if needed', as some lawmakers and NGOs called for an EU state aid probe to be launched.

• Primary Source

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ESO: Background information: 'Generous' tax breaks for shale gas industry outlined http://www.europeansources.info/record/generous-tax-breaks-for-shale-gas-industry-outlined/

UK: Dept of Energy and Climate Change: Business and self-employed: Generating energy: Oil and gas exploration and production https://www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-onshore-exploration-and-production

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EurActiv, 17.01.14: State aid row engulfs UK shale gas plans http://www.euractiv.com/energy/state-aid-row-engulfs-uk-shale-g-news-532827

ESO: Background information: Shale gas firms face binding law if they fail ‘scoreboard’ test / New regulations for the gas shale industry http://www.europeansources.info/record/shale-gas-firms-face-binding-law-if-they-fail-scoreboard-test-new-regulations-for-the-gas-shale-industry/

The Guardian, 17.01.14: Emails reveal UK helped shale gas industry manage fracking opposition http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/17/emails-uk-shale-gas-fracking-opposition

The Guardian, 20.01.14: Jose Bove pledges to help Britons resist Total fracking http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/20/green-mep-total-fracking-shale-gas

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