German Economy Minister Habeck opposes fracking, warns against import ban on Russian gas

German ecomic minister Robert Habeck on April 17, Sunday once again snubbed alternate option to cut off Russian energy independence from Russia. He opposed fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, controversial techlogy practice of releasing oil and gas from deep underground. Germany over years has only considered a relatively few projects to drill shale oil for n-commercial purposes, but as practice has remained unregulated until w with few laws in place, governments including former administration of Angela Merkel have banned it. 

German ecomic minister against 'destroying' deep layers of rock

On April 17, Berlin’s ecomic minister Robert Habeck rejected idea, saying:  “In rth German Plain we are sitting on a large amount of gas that can only be accessed with fracking. So you would have to destroy deep layers of rock with great pressure and chemical substances in order to extract gas,” according to German broadcaster Funke. “This is difficult under water law because it can have negative consequences for our environment. At moment re are companies that want that eir,” he went on to add. Germany had instated a draft law on fracking in April 2015, reviving some of proposals at last minute as companies demanded a legal framework, but major fracking projects have been put on hold. While in t supporting drilling blasts of mixture of water, sand and chemicals underground to obtain shale oil and gas, Habeck, of Green Party, has often looked at ally Qatar and United Arab Emirates for energy supply options. 

He, although, also warned against an import ban on Russian gas, echoing statements made by French Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. "An immediate gas embargo would endanger social peace in Germany," said German minister. "So we have to act prudently, prepare steps carefully and be able to stick with m if we want to harm Putin," he added. His comments were in contradiction to Bavaria's Prime Minister and CSU leader Markus Söder who, in turn, suggested enabling fracking. "We must t completely rule out oil and gas production from existing capacities in Germany," he said. For Russian gas, Germany needs widest possible replacement capacity. “We have to be open-minded about what is possible and what makes sense. Bans could be lifted," latter continued. 

Putin warns West against phasing out Russian gas

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western nations of destabilising market and inflating prices while diverting blame for its miscalculation about green energy to ongoing Ukrainian war and warned that phasing out of Russian gas imports will have a negative impact on ir ecomies. At meeting of country's oil and gas sector, Putin said, “w re is a wonderful reason to cover up ir miscalculations and blame everything on Russia.” Putin's remarks came as Russia-Ukraine war entered its 50th day. Russian President asserted, "European countries are constantly talking about refusing Russian supplies, reby furr destabilising market and inflating prices mselves." He continued: “Supplies from or countries that could be sent to Europe, primarily from United States, would cost consumers several times more” reby affecting "people's standard of living and competitiveness of European ecomy".