Technical support for the risk management of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction : final report

This is the Final Report for the project 'Technical Support for the Risk Management of Unconventional Hydrocarbon Extraction', contract 070251/2014/674828/SER/ENV/F.1. The report presents an overview of the main unconventional fossil fuels (UFF) other than shale gas ('other UFF') that require hydraulic fracturing to enable hydrocarbon extraction, a comparison of the risks associated with other UFF and shale gas, consideration of the adequacy of technical and policy measures to mitigate environmental risks that were developed in previous work that focussed on shale gas for the management of risks arising from extraction of other UFF, and a description of selected policy options available to implement such measures, should the Commission decide that further action at EU level is needed. This report should be read in conjunction with the study report 'Technical Support for Assessing the Need for a Risk Management Framework for Unconventional Gas Extraction', contract 070307/2012/630420/SER/ENV.F.1