I think it's important to realize that shale gas is like any other natural gas resource. In some areas the emissions associated with development are higher than our traditional average conventional supply. In other places, the emissions and the CO2 content of the gas stream are lower than in our traditional average gas supply. In that sense, shale gas is like any other natural gas supply source.
Yes, the process of producing gas is more intensive, but we also need to remember that an average shale well might produce 10 to 20 times more gas than a traditional conventional western Canadian gas well. While the emissions at the beginning of the process may be higher, associated with the completion process in particular, the amount of gas the well recovers is an order of magnitude greater than the gas that a conventional well would produce.