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You're right, but I think it was essential in this case: " His comment that “the DOE started it” refers to the Eastern Gas Shales Project, a research effort in

You're right, but I think it was essential in this case: " His comment that “the DOE started it” refers to the Eastern Gas Shales Project, a research effort in the Appalachia Basin from 1979 that proved shale rock was rich in natural gas. The DOE-supported project tested the use of nitrogen foam to fracture shale formations, and its analysis led to a deeper understanding of natural shale fractures. George Mitchell’s team studied those results while developing the Barnett Shale near Fort Worth, the first modern fracking play. The company relied on research from the Sandia National Laboratory to use micro-seismic technology to map the shale fractures in wells, and Mitchell also benefited from federal tax credits for unconventional drilling, which helped underwrite the cost of developing hydraulic fracturing. " https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2013/10/31/how-much-did-the-feds-really-help-with-fracking/?sh=4b43ef853edf https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2013/10/31/how-much...

credit_guy 5y ago
From your link: “The government’s role in fracking’s development was important, but not so important that it eclipses the effort and investment of private industry”
- brutusborn 5y ago
  I interpreted that as meaning "don't forget private industry had an important role". This doesn't mean that the private sector could have done it alone (my interpretation of government investment being essential). But at that stage it's semantics really. Maybe we could ask the question: "would private industry have funded all the basic research to get to the same starting point?" I doubt it since it would not have been shown returns for many decades and had a high risk of showing no returns. But maybe they would have, who knows? A parallel question: "would private industry have developed semiconductor transistors without WW2 research into radar systems?

credit_guy 5y ago

From your link: “The government’s role in fracking’s development was important, but not so important that it eclipses the effort and investment of private industry”

brutusborn 5y ago
I interpreted that as meaning "don't forget private industry had an important role". This doesn't mean that the private sector could have done it alone (my interpretation of government investment being essential). But at that stage it's semantics really. Maybe we could ask the question: "would private industry have funded all the basic research to get to the same starting point?" I doubt it since it would not have been shown returns for many decades and had a high risk of showing no returns. But maybe they would have, who knows? A parallel question: "would private industry have developed semiconductor transistors without WW2 research into radar systems?