Should Germany frack its own gas?

There is possibly forty times as much natural gas stored under German soil as Russia supplies annually. But fracking is considered taboo in Germany. Why actually? Should the industry also pump gas in this country with the controversial method? The Handelsblatt readership is dealing with this question this week. A reader writes to us that this is the “next ecological meltdown” and rigorously rejects fracking in Germany. Then it would be better to continue operating nuclear and coal-fired power plants, he says. Another reader thinks the German rejection is a lie. Because he writes: “We buy the fracking gas from the Americans at three to four times the price and ship it ‘environmentally friendly’ to Europe with heavy oil.”

Others, on the other hand, find the whole debate completely unnecessary, since fracking would not bring us any relief in the current situation anyway. One reader writes: “Fracking will probably no longer offer us a remedy this winter, it’s too late for that now.”

We have put together a selection for you from the various letters from the Handelsblatt readership.

Certain double standards in fracking

“There is no denying that there is a certain kind of double standard when, on the one hand, we purchase fracking gas from the USA and, on the other hand, we categorically reject fracking in Germany – after all, the German shale gas deposits would be sufficient to cover our total consumption for over a decade to cover (source: UBA).

But what does that mean in concrete terms: fracking will probably no longer offer us a remedy this winter, it’s too late for that now. In the future, the problem remains: How do you justify billions in investments in technologies that years ago were declared an environmental war?”
Jan Wanner

One-sided debate

“With this and unfortunately with other new technologies, we are increasingly seeing the risks and seldom the opportunities. Unfortunately, energy does not come from the socket.

Energy consumption will continue to rise, keywords for this are e-mobility and digitization. The sometimes idealistic idea of ​​securing the energy supply only through renewable energies and more energy efficiency endangers Germany as an industrial location and leads to a loss of prosperity and the dismantling of the welfare state.

It is part of a one-sided debate and we have to ask ourselves why fracking gas should not be extensively tested in Germany but fracking gas needs to be sourced from other regions of the world.”
Frank Arnold

It’s all about profit

“The discussion about fracking arose simply from the fact that certain investors or companies would like to tap profits from state subsidies or a generalization of the costs.

Even without a discussion about sustainability, investments elsewhere – gas terminals, Europe-wide network of gas pipelines and liquid gas tankers – are more cost-effective.”
Thomas circle

Fossil technology is waste

“Oil and gas, like coal and nuclear, are a thing of the past… Sun and wind don’t send bills, don’t belong to any dictator and are the democratic ‘open source’ sources of the energy industry.

Every euro in fossil technology is wasted. If the FDP, CDU/CSU and AfD would promote the new energies with this vehemence, we would be out of the mess very soon!”
Manfred Ostertag

The next ecological meltdown

“To be honest, I was shocked that fracking became an issue again in Germany.

It was not without reason that all fracking plans were put on hold here (I mean about ten) years ago.

In the United States there have been umpteen reports of gas suddenly coming out of water pipes in fracking areas instead of groundwater, which is enormously dangerous.

There were also subsidence and earthquakes in areas where fracking was being carried out (as far as I can tell, this is currently happening in the region around Groningen as well).

As hard as it sounds, but before we start the next ecological meltdown here in the form of fracking, the existing resources such as coal or nuclear power plants should rather continue to be operated.

** NO FRACKING **”
Mirko Hensgen

Fracking is a way to become more independent

“Yes, Germany should frack and that would give it a certain degree of independence. It is hard to bear that we build LNG terminals, convert fracking gas from the USA at high losses, then sail across the Atlantic with a lot of energy consumption and CO2 emissions and bring it back to its original form here, again with high losses.
It would be more honest to pump the gas directly here. The procedures are tried and tested, according to the expert opinion in the report available to the government.”
Theo Rennkamp

From an economic point of view, fracking is nonsense

“Let’s not talk about the environmental damage. For economic reasons alone, fracking in the USA should be a cautionary tale. Over $100 billion in investor funds have been burned there without ever generating free cash flow from fracking.

The company bosses and investors have recognized this, which is why subsidies are stagnating despite the currently relatively high energy prices.

Such a hole is drilled quickly, but the production decreases again very quickly with fracking. The result: In order to maintain production, constant investments have to be made.

The Canadian oil sands industry is the positive counter-example: gigantic investments up front, then consistently high free cash flows for decades, which can be used for reducing debt, dividends and share buybacks due to the moderate sustaining capex.

From an economic point of view, it is nonsense anyway to invest even one cent in new oil and gas projects when the price of oil is constantly below 120 US dollars per barrel. An unhealthy balance of costs, risks and possible returns.”
Rainer Kromarek

This is how German end products become overpriced slow sellers

“That is typical German mendacity. We buy nuclear power from our neighbors and shut down our nuclear power plants. We buy the fracking gas from the Americans at three to four times the price and ship it ‘environmentally friendly’ to Europe with heavy fuel oil.

We are not talking about the costs of the LNG terminals at sea. The overpriced raw materials are added to the profit of the overpriced energy. This is how German end products become overpriced slow sellers. Bye, that’s it.”
Lothar Spear

A little renunciation wouldn’t hurt us

“Fracking is the most damaging form of energy generation for our environment. Why is it always tried to fall back on dangerous (nuclear power) or environmentally destructive forms of energy generation instead of finally relying unconditionally on sun, wind and hydrogen?

Even a little renunciation wouldn’t hurt us too much. The willingness of citizens is underestimated here.”
dr Berndt Lohmuller

Reconsider decisions made

“I support an open approach to fracking in Germany. The decision was made at a time when gas from Russia never seemed to run out, and a second pipeline was nearing completion.

We will continue to need gas as a bridge until 2050, and LNG from distant countries and heat pumps as part of the heat transition will unfortunately only heat houses and apartments at great expense. It is therefore always worth rethinking decisions that have been made.”
Alexander Kleerbaum

backward-looking worldview

“In Germany, a minority has risen to become the opinion leader and acts politically out of fearful motives for the future. People set themselves up and believe they can avoid all the dangers of progress by keeping things like fracking and nuclear power plants out in their own country.

For me, this shows a backward-looking world view.”
Hartmut Grimm Georgi

Close energy gaps with nuclear power plants and coal

“The way fracking has been demonized in recent decades, I can’t see anything positive about it. Sure there have been technological advances, but how safe is it really? Purposeful optimism is not appropriate.

It will also take a long time before gas can be extracted in interesting quantities. I find it better to close the energy gaps with old technologies, including nuclear power plants and coal, and to continue expanding regenerative technologies with all our might.”
Thomas Staggemeier

Incalculable risks of fracking

“Continuing widespread political failures in the previous energy policy with new political failures cannot lead out of the crisis.

It is not without reason that the topic is very controversial, as there are at least three incalculable risks:

1. Highly toxic chemicals are used in fracking, the long-term effects of which on the geological structure cannot be estimated in any way – despite claims to the contrary by interested parties.

2. Groundwater layers are already being destroyed by drilling – the consequences are unknown.

3. Similar to geothermal energy, extensive drilling can cause local mini-earthquakes, with consequences for the stability of infrastructure facilities.

In addition, there are also interdependencies of the above problems.”
Joseph Panhoff

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