Gas production Readers particularly in Ryedale,will be interested to know about gas production in The UK.

United Kingdom Natural Gas Exports information from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries shows that, in December 2020, the UK exported 9,595,000 cubic m mn of gas. This was an increase from 2019 figures of 8,044,000 cubic m mn. This information comes from OPEC, Natural Gas Exports.

The UK exports gas to 48 economies, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and Russia.

As records are only shown until 2020, I do not know if Russia is still in this list.

Therefore I and I imagine, other citizens of the UK, will be wondering why we are paying much higher prices for our gas. Also, we know that gas prices are set globally.

I feel that the dreadful situation in Ukraine is another example of project fear from those in charge ie oil and gas companies.

This Government seems complicit in allowing us to be “taken for a ride” by them.

Some MPs and citizens are calling for a resumption in fracking exploration. This will not happen for many reasons. Safety, cost and environmental damage being some of the reasons.

Prof Jon Gluyas, director of the Durham Energy Institute, Durham University in his report on fracking in the UK, states “We have the wrong kind of shale. Crispy shale, which is brittle and rich in silica is what is needed for fracking to be successful and most UK shale is especially rich in malleable clays that won’t hold a fracture well.”

Fracking cannot be done in this country, nor would it be viable.

Sue Cuthbert, Newton on Rawcliffe