Methane leaks erode green credentials of natural gas (Nature)

Jeff Tollefson / Nature / January 2013

Studies of the amount of methane released from a gas field near Denver (Colorado) in the United States has sparked debate about the benefits of shifting from coal to gas-fired power plants to generate electricity. Methane is over 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. This means it is central to efforts to reduce climate change.

What is fracking? See infographic for the basics

If significant amounts of methane are released during the fracking process it would have major implications for whether fracking is a suitable alternative to other fossil fuels. However, more research is needed to establish concrete trends.

See comments at the end of the article for views on the importance of baseline data when making calculations of the release of methane associated with fracking.