The mad rush to extract oil and gas from shale by fracking is on. Fears of earthquakes or contaminated water are ridiculed. Let the Bull Moose in Heat rampaging towards shale deposits begin. And all those Greenies with their dreams of a renewable energy future can go suck eggs.
Nigel Lawson, Sec of Energy under Thatcher, explains how fracking works, pretends that risks do not exist, and shows how newly found enormous deposits of shale oil in the US and elsewhere will provide much cheaper natural gas and oil and change the balance of power forever.
For decades, the West in general, and the U.S. in particular, has had to shape, and sometimes arguably to misshape, its foreign policy in the light of its dependence on Middle East oil and gas. No longer: that era is now over.
The US quite possibly could become a net exporter of oil and gas, ending dependence of foreign sources. Yes, this will be a momentous change. It will also almost certainly bring increased chance of earthquakes and contaminated water. While it does appear to be possible to do fracking and avoid these dangers, does any rational person believe that the oil companies will be models of good citizenry and studiously avoid such perils? Hah! I hope you like your water flammable.
 More fracking tragedies for farmers and ranchers in North Dakota
Recently I blogged about the Schilke ranch in the Bakken shale, which has 32 oil wells within three miles of it. The Schilkes have sick cattle and pets, and the Schilkes themselves report they are seriously ill.
The Schlikes are not alone. Others have become physically sick from the fracking. Shale oil deposits are everywhere. This does not bode well for the future of the planet.