The anti-shale gas extremists in the UK and elsewhere like to promote the notion that the Shale Gas industry is unregulated and out of control.
In reality, of course, nothing could be further from the truth.
Like all long-term established industries - remember - Shale Gas and Oil has been around since the 1940s; the industry uses a range of standard and accepted techniques to reduce risk to a level as low as reasonably practicable and in line with Government Regulations and community demands.
One area of control that is standard in the Shale Gas sector relates to the use of written Procedures.
Procedures not only show workers how to undertake given tasks in a safe manner; they also help to demonstrate HOW any company is complying with the Health, Safety and Environmental legislation.
Here are just some examples of the massive range of Procedures, Guidelines and Standard Work Practices that are used to manage and minimize risk within the shale gas sector.