NERC and ESRC put £8m into unconventional hydrocarbons

Researchers have been invited to bid for a share of £8 million for investigations into the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of shale gas production.

The funding from the Natural Environment Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council will be used to address five main issues, according to an announcement from NERC on 4 September. Together the work will help to create an evidence base from which to evaluate whether unconventional hydrocarbons are a feasible alternative to fossil fuels, the councils said.

The first challenge will look at existing shale-gas activities. It will involve grants up to £1m which will be awarded to a cross-disciplinary consortium of environmental and social-science researchers.