North American natural gas producers are facing tougher scrutiny and regulation from government, with the U.S. industry warning that new rules proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could dampen the shale gas boom.

Polish rural communities largely depend on low-cost but dirty coal for their heating, but under pressure from Brussels to provide cleaner energy, Warsaw is proposing controversial shale gas wells as an alternative. “In small villages, each house has its own individual heating system – mostly based on coal – because access to other [heating sources] [...]