SPECIAL BRIEFING: Attacking Fracking’s Achilles Heel — Economics

By Richard Heinberg, originally published by Americans Against Fracking, Energy Policy Forum, Post Carbon Institute, Stop the Frack Attack

December 18, 2013

NOTE: Images in this archived article have been removed.

Image RemovedThis is a recording of a special online briefing and conversation with Richard Heinberg and Deborah Rogers to explore how the anti-fracking community can turn the fracking industry’s biggest weapon into their greatest vulnerability.

We’re being told that – thanks to technological advances like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling – the US is undergoing an energy revolution, leading the US to become energy independent and huge economic benefits in communities where fracking is taking place.

The industry has used this hype over the so-called "shale revolution" to justify the massive spread of drilling, despite strong environmental concerns and community opposition.
 
But what if the industry’s promise of plenty is really their Achilles’ Heel? What if the "shale revolution" is really just a short-term bubble, leaving communities with little gain and a whole lot of pain.
 
Teaser image credit: Fracking Texas (section) – amymyou/flickr. Creative Commons 2.0 license. 

 

Richard Heinberg

Richard passed away unexpectedly in July 2026. Read this rememberance by Asher Miller.

Richard Heinberg was regarded as one of the world’s foremost advocates for a shift away from our current reliance on fossil fuels. He was the author of fourteen books, including some of the seminal works on society’s current energy and environmental sustainability crisis. Richard was Senior Fellow of Post Carbon Institute for nearly twenty years.

Richard authored hundreds of essays and articles that have appeared in such journals as Nature and The Wall Street Journal; delivered hundreds of lectures on energy and climate issues to audiences on six continents; and was quoted and interviewed countless times for print, television, and radio. His monthly MuseLetter was published for 400 consecutive months starting in 1992, and was included in Utne Magazine’s annual list of Best Alternative Newsletters.

Full bio at postcarbon.org.

Tags: Fracking, Shale gas, Snake Oil, tight oil

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