French oil and gas company Total is to invest in the UK's shale gas industry, it is to be announced on Monday.

Total will be the first of the so-called "oil majors" to invest in shale gas in the UK, the BBC has confirmed.

The British Geological Survey estimates there may be 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale gas present in the north of England.

But the process to extract shale gas - called "fracking" - has proved controversial.

Fracking - short for "hydraulic fracturing" - involves drilling deep underground and releasing a high-pressure mix of water, sand and chemicals to crack rocks and release gas stored inside.

Total is to spend tens of millions of pounds buying substantial stakes in firms with drilling licences in the north of England, where other large energy firms such as Centrica and Gaz de France have already invested.

Our correspondent said Total's entry into the UK's shale gas market is not insignificant and the other four major oil and gas companies could follow.

I think as long as its profitable itll get done

Councils that back "fracking" will get to keep more money in tax revenue as part of an "all-out" drive to promote drilling, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

Mr Cameron said English local authorities would receive all the business rates collected from shale gas schemes - rather than the usual 50%.

The government says projects will support 74,000 jobs and reduce bills.

But Greenpeace accused ministers of trying to "bribe councils".

Mr Cameron's announcement comes as French company Total confirmed plans to invest about £30m to help drill two exploratory wells in Lincolnshire. It is the the first major energy company to invest in fracking in the UK.

The British Geological Survey estimates there may be 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale gas present in the north of England.

But the process to extract it - called fracking - has led to protests, with environmentalists fearing the technique could cause small earth tremors, water contamination and environmental damage.

Those bastards are hell-bent on trashing my part of the world.

Gilly wrote:
Are any of our members in the NW supporting the anti-fracking protesters at Barton Moss?

Fracking was invented by Halliburton.....

@Jane, get yourself over there, they will appreciate your support.

I grew up near balcombe, the youth club nights always had the best drugs - I think that fracking will go ahead already the media is preparing us for blackouts, the rises in fuel costs are bound to eventually turn the tide from those against to those for purely because they can no longer afford their fuel bills. Fracking will happen bills wont reduce, profit will be made and cover ups begin as soon as the results of fracking begin to affect people in a negative way.

thoreau wrote:
Bit difficult to cover up the ground moving under your feet and your water being poisoned though

at this stage i would not put it passed them to blame those on benefits, the obese or single mothers for it...

thoreau wrote:
I shouldn't laugh but damn that's funny