Still, the MIT report points out that shale-gas extraction uses less water than other industries, and indeed than other sources of energy.

ECONOMIST: Shale gas��s poor image in Europe is largely unjustified

Should a massive natural gas infrastructure build-out take place to move shale resources to market, with significant untapped feedstock potential, biogas could emerge as a clean energy Cinderella story over the next decade.

FORBES: Biogas and the Shale Gas Bonanza

On federal lands, Shell has been researching methods to cook oil out of the shale (basically oil-soaked rock) without mining it or polluting groundwater.

FORBES: OutFront

Fast forward to 2012: with the recent departure of natural gas producers, who are moving out of dry shale gas areas to focus on new oil-based shale initiatives due to low pricing for the former, the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to become weighty again in the minds of gas traders.

FORBES: Damaging Hurricanes Could Impact Energy, Insurance Industries In 2012

Vale council rejected an application by Bridgend-based Coastal Oil and Gas to carry out exploratory drilling for shale gas at Llandow.

BBC: Public inquiry over gas drilling in Vale of Glamorgan

Over the weekend The New York Times published this story on how the business of drilling natural gas out of shale is some sort of ponzi scheme, even Enron-like.

FORBES: New York Times Is All Hot Air On Shale Gas

And, on a related subject look out for the Westminster Hall debate on giving communities a share of shale gas profits (from 4pm - 4.30pm).

BBC: Week ahead