Abstract Shale gas development has been heralded as a game changer that has had, and will continue to have, repercussions for energy scenarios around the world, and natural gas has been hailed as the transition fuel to a low carbon future. Shale gas production—made feasible and economical by advances in hydraulic fracturing—offers a solution in the face of increased demand, instability in key producing regions, and societal aversion to the risks of nuclear energy. This “golden future,” however, has come into conflict with increasing concerns over water. This paper examines policy and regulatory frameworks around hydraulic fracturing in Texas and Spain in order to consider the trade-offs—particularly at the expense of water security—that may occur as decision-makers pursue improvements in energy security. We compare regulatory, institutional, and cultural contexts in order to understand and evaluate the robustness of these frameworks to prevent the reduction in water security as a consequence of the pursuit of energy security. Paucity of data is discussed. We also consider questions such as disclosure of information to the public about water use or the chemical composition of frac fluids and public opinion about hydraulic fracturing. Lessons are drawn that may assist policymakers who seek to guarantee water security while pursuing energy security.

中文翻译：

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德克萨斯和西班牙水力压裂背景下水相关问题的比较研究

摘要 页岩气开发被誉为已经并将继续对世界各地的能源场景产生影响的游戏规则改变者，而天然气被誉为通往低碳未来的过渡燃料。页岩气生产——通过水力压裂技术的进步变得可行和经济——为应对需求增加、主要产区不稳定以及社会对核能风险的厌恶提供了解决方案。然而，这个“黄金未来”与日益增长的水资源问题发生了冲突。本文研究了德克萨斯州和西班牙围绕水力压裂的政策和监管框架，以考虑在决策者寻求改善能源安全时可能发生的权衡——尤其是以牺牲水安全为代价。我们比较监管、制度、和文化背景，以了解和评估这些框架的稳健性，以防止因追求能源安全而导致水安全下降。讨论了数据的缺乏。我们还考虑诸如向公众披露有关用水或压裂液化学成分的信息以及有关水力压裂的舆论等问题。吸取的经验教训可能有助于寻求能源安全的同时寻求保障水安全的决策者。我们还考虑诸如向公众披露有关用水或压裂液化学成分的信息以及有关水力压裂的舆论等问题。吸取的经验教训可能有助于寻求能源安全的同时寻求保障水安全的决策者。我们还考虑诸如向公众披露有关用水或压裂液化学成分的信息以及有关水力压裂的舆论等问题。汲取的经验教训可能有助于寻求在追求能源安全的同时保证水安全的政策制定者。