Published on Aug 1, 2013
The industry is drilling an exploratory well in Balcombe, and is planning to drill inside the South Downs National Park near Fernhurst. The initial plans are for conventional drilling, but it is clear that shale gas prospects are being closely examined during this activity.

This video looks at some of the risks of gas exploration and fracking, and their likely impact on local communities and the environment.

It also takes the industry assessment of the size of the prospects, and extrapolates what exploitation of these resources would mean for the South Downs National Park and Sussex, based on US Government figures for the average and optimum performing shale gas plays across the US.
Millie Thedog