Conceptualizing the above ground factors in shale gas: Toward a research agenda on regulatory governance

摘要: Abstract Stalling progress in European, Chinese and Latin American shale has been attributed to difficult geological formations lacking data. Yet, ‘above ground’ factors matter the extractive industries as much geology. It is policies, regulation institutional settings that determines success or failure of a contested, risk bound technology such fracking. This article suggests regulatory governance agenda may offer novel insights into gas policy phenomenon. The first provides critical review existing literature on identifies key themes security, social contestations socio-economic impact. then turns assessing regimes, competition, path dependence agencies which, it argued, form essential elements research for investigating unconventional problem. Building these, paper sketches focal points investigations going forward.