This briefing compiles numerous examples of Shell fracking around the world, but does not claim to be an exhaustive list. By timing the release with Yoko Ono’s involvement in the Meltdown Festival at the Shell-sponsored Southbank Centre, we hope to:

• Increase awareness of the enormous role that Shell is playing in expanding fracking operations all over the world.
• Create political space amidst the cultural showcase of the Meltdown Festival to understand the role that sponsorship plays in creating social legitimacy and cover for Shell’s dangerous operations.
• Promote the creative, community resistance to fracking that is taking place all over the world, which is especially instructive in the context of the industry being poised to start fracking in numerous sites across the UK.

Download the briefing here.

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The era of relatively ‘easy to reach’ oil is over.

All fossil fuel extraction involves drilling and localised pollution, so none of it was ever ‘easy’ to reach. But global extraction levels for the oil that is comparatively straight forward to pump out of seems to have peaked. Instead, the fossil fuel industry is increasingly focusing on harder to extract resources. Enter ‘unconventionals’ – dirtier fossil fuels which are more complicated to extract and refine, like tar sands, oil shale and shale gas, or those that are located in hazardous and challenging regions like the Arctic, or deepwater drilling.

It is not surprising then, that an established oil and gas major like Shell is investing  heavily in global fracking and other unconventionals.  Shell is actively fracking or preparing to frack in every continent in the world, with CEO  appearing on TV programmes to argue “why fracking is environmentally sound,” and accusing Europe of being “too emotional” on the issue.