Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has endorsed comments made by Tom Crotty boss of the Ineos plant at Grangemouth on the need for a domestic shale gas industry.
The Scottish Conservative Energy Spokesman, Murdo Fraser, is hosting an event in parliament this evening in co-operation with the Engineering Policy Group entitled “Exploiting Scotland’s Shale Gas Opportunities.”
The event will see MSP’s and invited guests listen and question fracking experts and key stakeholders.
Tom Crotty from Ineos, the company that runs the Forth Valley plant, said that high energy prices were damaging the industrial sector. He said "We need UK-produced shale gas and this country has huge reserves of it."
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“Shale gas has the potential to reduce fuel poverty and create thousands of well-paid jobs throughout Scotland including many within my own region of Fife, Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
“Nearly 40% of Scottish residents are stuck in fuel poverty and energy bills are rising faster than any other commodity, and for these reasons alone we must pursue paths towards creating cheaper energy.
“High energy costs are handicapping heavy industry and reducing our manufacturing competitiveness.
“Hopefully, tonight’s event can help dispel some of the myths that have emerged about shale gas.
“Scotland has a workforce experienced in oil and gas extraction and we must use these skills to help exploit our undoubted shale gas potential.
“We’ve seen the major impact North Sea oil and gas has had for Scotland and the UK – if there’s a chance this can be replicated with fracking, we need to move now.”