The new US analysis suggests this may not be a sensible strategy, given that the total carbon footprint appears bigger - especially if the gas comes from shale formations.

一份新的分析指出，这样做并不是一种好的策略，指出总的碳影响变得更大--特别是如果此类其他来自于页岩层。

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Greenhouse gas emissions from shale gas are predominantly down to two things: carbon dioxide produced when the gas is burned, and methane that leaks out while the well is being exploited.

页岩气所排放的温室气体主要有两类：燃烧产生的二氧化碳以及页岩气井开采过程中的甲烷泄漏。

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But Dr Kharaka nevertheless suggests that the sequestration of carbon dioxide should be confined to deep aquifers, where overlying layers of shale would be likely to prevent leaks.

但是，Kharaka博士依然建议，二氧化碳的固存应该局限于深蓄水层，这些蓄水层上方有很多层页岩叠加在一起，可以防止泄漏。

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In addition to the fact that Howarth used a flawed method to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions from shale gas, he has even admitted that he and his team used lousy data and did not examine coal carefully.

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Moreover, although controversial, life-cycle analysis indicates that fugitive methane emissions make shale gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing as carbon-intensive as coal.

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Here the maths is unambiguous - we have insufficient budget for the carbon we are already emitting and by the time shale gas is produced in any quantity (five to 10 years), there will be no emissions space left for it.

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