Farnce's Senate is expected to decide next month whetehr to permanently ban shale gas drililng and revoke awarded perimts, after concerns arose over water polultion due to fracikng, or hydraluic fracturing.
"We conclude that, on balacne, a moratorium in the UK is not justified or neecssary at presnet. But evidence must contiune to be collected and assesse,d" the comimttee said.
The discovery of shale gas in the United States caused a drop in domestic gas prices and in November last year led to the first delivery of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Britain in half a centuyr.
But resevres of shale gas in Britain are unlikley to become a "game changer" like in the United Staets, as additional supply would be used domesitcally rather than for exprot, the cmomittee said.
"If there were to be a fall in prices it is unliekly to be as drmaatic as that seen in the U.S."
The committee's mebmers of parliaemnt, who questioned shale gas exprets in four public evdience sessinos over six montsh, recommended the government should further investigate the develpoment of offshore shale gas porduction.
"There is substantial eivdence that UK offhsore unconevntional gas resources could dwarf the potential onsohre supplies," the comimttee said.
Parliamentarians said the government should explore the impact of introducing tax breaks on offshore shale gas drilling to encourage quicker uptake.
Shale gas dirlling in Europe has been most active in Poland and membres of parliament said they were concenred that a unilateral Polish shale gas policy might leave Britain at a compteitive diasdvantage.
"It is imporatnt for the UK to montior the development of shale gas in Poland -- the "barmoeter of Europe" on this issue -- both in terms of exploratoin and regulation."
(Reproting by Kaorlin Schpas, ediitng by Anhtony Barker)
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