Following the UK Government announcement of the opening of the bidding process for companies seeking licenses to explore for onshore oil and gas, the chemical Industry urged all interested organisations to join the debate.

Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association, said this morning’s announcement represented another positive step along the way to ensuring secure supplies of energy for British citizens and industry. The need for developers to submit Statements of Environmental Awareness was also welcomed as a necessary test for responsible exploitation of shale.

The Association, whose member companies make up the UK’s biggest manufacturing export sector of the economy, has been championing the drive for shale gas. Steve Elliott concluded “The Government has got the balance right . Let’s exploit what we can for our Country, doing so in an environmentally responsible way.  The argument that it has to be economic or environmental is redundant. It can and should be both”.

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Notes to Editors:

For further comment, please contact Lena Nunkoo 07951 388 919 or Simon Marsh 07951 389197

View the video on Facts about shale gas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4215xX8UpE

View ‘Shale Gas the Facts’ publication http://bit.ly/1doFoES

Chemical Industries Association (CIA) is the organisation that represents chemical and pharmaceutical businesses throughout the UK www.cia.org.uk