Consider the following facts and make your own mind up:

Two, maybe three years ago Francis Egan at Cuadrilla gave the informed opinion that 40% - 50% of the gas in the Bowland Basin should be recoverable. He also added that he would expect that figure to rise with new technology.

During the short period that Cuadrilla were allowed to explore the Bowland Shale deposit, they found and drilled through a 6000 foot shale seam/bed. This was and still is a world record for the thickness of a shale deposit (in the USA they have deposits of between 200 and 600 feet).

Cuadrilla do not know how thick their shale deposit is because they stopped drilling at 6000 feet, so for all we know it could be 12000 feet or 6100 feet.

Financial reports this week state that due to improved horizontal drilling techniques USA well productivity had improved 321% in 4 years, resulting in half the number of rigs but an increase in production.

All the government estimates of shale gas are too low (e.g. they do not include the 6000 foot Bowland deposit) plus they only assume a 10% recovery rate.

David Cameron was Prime MInister during the 5 year coalition government and during that time there was no movement whatsoever on shale exploration or exploitation.

During the coalition period we were trying to recover from the global financial crisis and were desperate for growth

I knew I would get a second chance at this thread ^.^

The government is finally beginning to 'fast track' shale gas applications and they have started with the Bowland Shale Basin; Oh Lordy!
Even though Cameron's thought processes are wading through treacle, technology has moved on. In the USA the number of shale gas rigs is now 10% of the number just a few years ago, production is at record levels.
When the figures start coming through for the Bowland Shale Basin it is going to be quite clear just how much Cameron has slowed down the UK economy.