In a bid to expand domestic energy production, as new Prime Minister Liz Truss promised two weeks ago, the British government officially lifted the embargo on shale gas extraction in Britain on Thursday.

The UK government has also reiterated its support for a new round of North Sea oil and gas licenses which is expected to result in more than 100 additional licenses.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, UK Secretary of Business and Energy, said today in a statement that “in light of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the militarization of energy, improving our energy security is an urgent priority. And we will ensure that the UK is a clean exporter of energy by year.” 2040.”

Rees-Mogg continues, alluding to the removal of brakes on shale gas extraction in the UK: “To get to that point we have to investigate all the routes we have access to through solar, wind, oil and gas production, so it’s good that we’ve lifted the backlog to realize this. potential domestic gas supply.”

The government has announced that drillers can now learn more about Britain’s shale gas resources and how the country can harvest shale gas safely if there is local support.

In a bid to boost domestic energy supplies and help people and businesses struggling to pay for skyrocketing energy costs, British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced two weeks ago in the House of the Commons that the country would lift its 2019 moratorium on shale gas fracking. .

The only two shale gas wells in the UK are operated by Cuadrilla Resources in Lancashire. After the government announced a drilling moratorium, Cuadrilla Resources was forced to quit. Cuadrilla Resources welcomed the government’s swift follow-up to the Prime Minister’s announcement two weeks ago by officially lifting the ban.

Communities in Northern England are the most to benefit from today’s declaration. Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan stated that the company is “determined that a portion of all shale gas revenues go to local residents as community dividends.”

Geologist Chris Cornelius, founder of Cuadrilla, told The Guardian that “I don’t think there is a possibility of fracking in the UK in the short term”, that it is impossible to increase fracking in the UK to a significant level and lifting the ban will do anything to ease the crisis.