Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Spain and the incoherence of fracking

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a technique used for extracting oil and natural gas from low-permeability rock formations such as shale. The process involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure into the ground to create fissures in the rock, thereby releasing trapped hydrocarbons. The materials, like sand, keep these fractures open, allowing oil or gas to flow into the well and be extracted.

Fracking has been a revolutionary technique in countries like the United States, where it has significantly expanded the production of natural gas and oil. In the U.S., the development of this technique has transformed the energy landscape, reducing the country's reliance on imports and turning it into a major exporter of liquefied natural gas. Other countries, including Canada, China, and Argentina, have also adopted fracking to exploit their reserves.
 
However, in Spain, despite known deposits and the feasibility of extracting oil and gas, this technique is not allowed. In 2021, the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law was passed, which explicitly bans fracking. This means that, while fracking is recognized as a key tool for energy independence in many countries, in Spain, under the PSOE government, it is rejected due to a mix of environmental, legal, social, and economic factors. The paradox here is that, without its own energy independence, Spain must import gas and oil from countries that do use fracking. In other words: "We do not allow fracking to protect the environment, even if it impoverishes us, but we import oil and gas from countries that do use fracking."
 

A journey through the history of the pharmaceutical industry and one of its great laboratories that had its origins in Alfred Nobel...
“From Alfred Nobel to AstraZeneca” (Vicente Fisac, Amazon) is available in e-Book and print editions: https://a.co/d/9svRTuI 

No comments:

Post a Comment