Shale gas tussle bubbling under EU surface

Heralded as an energy game-changer by supporters, perceived as environmentally pernicious by critics, shale gas is both controversial and increasingly on the European agenda.

Trapped in shale rock deep under the earth's surface, the 'unconventional' gas has grown from just one percent of US domestic gas production a decade ago to roughly 20 percent today, with major reserves discovered all across the globe.

A recent report by the US Energy Information Administration put the volu...