Notebook

摘要

As a nation as well as an industry we should be grateful for the apparent wealth of natural gas we are finding throughout the United States. It means a reliable, relatively inexpensive energy source for years to come in addition to badly needed jobs, tax revenues for governmental entities, and increased energy independence. Some are not so keen to see this as good news. In recent months, media outlets - most notably The New York Times -have raised eyebrows and created doubt about this so-called shale revolution, especially over drilling activities. Enormous stakes are involved as investors are gambling billions of dol- lars on successfully exploiting these unconventional shale plays.