Scottish government frustrated by British shale regulations

Developing unconventional resources like shale oil and natural gas should proceed only under a strict regulatory regime, the Scottish government said.

Edinburgh said it was frustrated with British policies that would allow oil and gas companies to use hydraulic fracturing in subsurface areas far below private residences without a right of access agreement.

The British government said its fledgling shale industry could be a strong part of a low-carbon energy strategy that includes one of the more robust offshore wind energy sectors in the world.

The Scottish government, which has one of the most ambitious renewable energy targets globally, said the policy on shale was an example of British overreach.

"Unconventional oil and gas developments should only ever happen under a robust regulatory regime, and the Scottish Government takes this issue particularly seriously," Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said in a Thursday statement.

The Scottish government has put pressure on its British counterparts after a failed bid for independence. Ewing argued for a more diluted power structure when it comes to the energy sector.

"We strongly believe that decisions on oil and gas drilling should be made by the people who live in Scotland, through the parliament and government they elected," he said.