Fidel Castro says World March in abyss with shale gas

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro speaks in Havana, 28 September 2010.

IMG credit: Reuters/Desmond Boylan

Havana (Reuters) - former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said Thursday the world was on a "relentless march towards the abyss," he blamed partly on the discovery and use of the huge reserves, the so-called "shale gas" around the world.

Shale gas is natural gas in rock formations locked, found in the last ten years in great abundance throughout the world was and is today regarded as a top source of future energy supply.

Castro, 85, wrote in one of his occasionally, that published columns in Cuban State media, that "many dangers threaten us, but two of them - nuclear and climate change - are crucial and both are increasingly of a solution approaching."

He said he had heard recently about the slate gas phenomenon that a drilling has created a boom in some parts of the United States, and asked if he known several both within and outside of Cuba on the subject, "none of them had heard a word of this."

Leaning gas production it is criticised in some quarters as extensive "Glencore," used water, sand and chemicals requires on the rocks break where the gas is captured to fountains flow out enable. Glencore, opponents say, groundwater can result in contamination sources and other problems.

Castro on one side with the critics, reports on the adverse effects which quote Glencore and research which said shale gas emits more greenhouse gases than gas produced from conventional sources.

"It is sufficient to point out, that benzene and toluene, which are terribly carcinogenic substances, injected under the many chemicals with water to extract the gas is found", he wrote.

The information on shale gas was something "no political cadres or sensible person could ignore," he said.

Castro said he was so intent on getting the word out, he "festive days of old and new year past had let" is working on his column.

The column was the first he had 13 written since November and followed by an outbreak of rumors on Twitter on Monday, Castro had died.

Castro death Rumors occasionally break out and this time prompted a rebuke in a Cuban Government website, blamed the rumors on "necrophilia counter-revolutionaries."

To turn, after the takeover in the Cuban revolution of 1959 and the country into a Communist State Castro ruled the island for 49 years before disease and age forced him aside before four years.

Succeeded as President by younger brother Raul Castro, 80.

(Reporting by Jeff Franks;) (Editing by Eric beech)