Chemicals giant Ineos, led by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, renewed calls on Thursday to restart drilling for shale gas in the UK, minutes after Prime Minister Liz Truss pledged to end a moratorium on the controversial exploration technique.

The UK government announced in November 2019 it would ban fracking due to the risk of disruption to local communities through earth tremors.

Fracking involves forcing water and chemicals at high-pressure into wells to split rock and release gas, but it is fiercely opposed by environmentalists who say it is at odds with the UK's commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.