Thank you very much to Sue Curd, who provided this write-up of the event. If you’d like to do a write up, please get in touch – Ed.

Professor Chris Rhodes’s talk gathered the biggest audience the Isle of Wight Cafe Scientifique has had to date.

We all gathered hear Chris on the subject of fracking. The talk and accompanying slides (below) provide a background to available energy resources and the contribution made by each and then covers potential fracking shale oil and gas specifically.

It seems that fracking is an expensive process and that at current oil prices the economics are not attractive. It’s also debatable whether the volume is worthwhile especially considering the relatively low quality of the oil which then needs to be heavily processed in order to produce high-grade fuel.

Land density in US and Europe are very different
Fracking is widespread in the US however the geology of the US differs considerably in that there are vast expanses of unpopulated and unused land whereas Europe is more densely occupied. The accompanying slides provide current data on energy resources generally and more specifically about shale and certainly some useful diagrams for any students out there (Students: remembering to cite your sources!).

This is a factual presentation useful for those who would like to gain more knowledge at a time when financial incentives are being pressed on local authorities to investigate fracking for shale gas and oil.

Prof Chris Rhodes presents his views on local impacts explaining the need for numerous drillings over a site and the impact on local road infrastructure.

A lively question and answer session follows the main talk.

Prof Chris Rhodes: Presentation

Prof Chris Rhodes: Presentation slides

Q&A with the audience