Energy giants Centrica who are the owners of British Gas, have entered into talks with Cuadrilla Resources, a leader in shale gas fracking within the UK, about buying a stake in shale gas operations.

The talks surround the purchase by Centrica of a stake in Bowland shale, located in north-west England.

The announcement of a deal is agreed upon by both companies and shareholders could be reached within weeks.

Entry of a energy company the size of Centrica into the UK’s shale fracking industry would represent a huge boost for the industry, suggesting at the potential of that energy source.

The talks come only weeks after Centrica had played down shale gas as a viable new energy source for the company, describing shale gas within the UK as being dissimilar to "the game-changer we've seen in North America".

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