Although OMV has renounced it, the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) is flirting with the controversial fracking gas (also known as shale gas) in the Weinviertel region of Lower Austria and is demanding a feasibility study. “We are aware that this is a politically sensitive issue, but in any case what we expect is that it will be seriously investigated,” IV Secretary General Christoph Neumayer said on Thursday.
The gas supplies in Russia are clouding the mood in the domestic industry. The IV wants to know how large the gas reserves in the shale rock are and how quickly it would be available.
OMV has suspended its shale gas plans
Already in 2012, there was a lot of excitement in the municipalities of Prinzendorf, Poysbrunn and Schönkirchen because of alleged exploratory drilling. OMV suspended the plans after fierce resistance from the population and lack of political support. Recently, former Economy Minister Margarete Schramböck and Upper Austria Governor Thomas Stelzer (both ÖVP) campaigned for fracking.
But even now OMV is not thinking about getting the fracking plans out of the drawer. “It cannot be done overnight. We cannot drive to the Weinviertel and drill holes, it takes several years and requires intensive investment to get to these deposits,” said OMV boss Alfred Stern.
Nothing can be funded before the end of this decade, and if Austria wants to be carbon neutral by 2040, only ten years will be left for use. “It’s like when you’re 95 and you decide to build a new house,” Stern said.
Shale gas is naturally occurring natural gas that is formed and stored in porous clay rocks and is difficult to access. The term comes from the colloquial use of the word slate for mud brick. The extraction of shale gas is technologically challenging, but is becoming increasingly profitable with the high oil and gas prices.
Extraction is technically quite complex
Because shale is relatively impermeable, drilling into these rock layers does not allow gas to easily penetrate to the surface. To extract the shale gas contained in the clay rock, the rock is drilled into the rock and then millions of liters of water are mixed with sand and up to 600 different, sometimes highly toxic chemicals (including so-called biocides) pumped into the depot at high pressure.
This process, called hydraulic fracturing (fracking for short), blows many small fissures into the shale, which then allows the gas to flow into the borehole. Horizontal bores are also often required to create channels through which the gas can escape.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
