Research & News Bookmark and Share  New Brunswick shows Quebec
there's no need to fear shale gas development  Appeared in La
Presse Release Date: February 22, 2011 Once formerly too
expensive to produce, shale gas has suddenly become one of the
hottest commodities in North America as advanced technologies
such as horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing
have made recovery of the gas viable, even at relatively low
prices.  Here in Quebec, various companies are interested in the
prospect of producing gas from the Utica shale formation in the
St. Lawrence Lowlands which is thought to hold at least 40
trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of recoverable gas. But while
communities from British Columbia, to Texas, Louisiana,
Pennsylvania, and Arkansas have embraced shale gas development
and the accompanying economic benefits, Quebec appears timid in
the face of this opportunity, with calls for a moratorium on
development of the resource.  Instead Quebec should look to New
Brunswick, which is moving ahead to dev