Getting oil and natural gas from drilling is a well-known source of energy.  But now, releasing gas from tight formations of shale rock is on the rise, and could prove to be a vital source of new global energy. Indeed, according to Canada’s Financial Post, a major Chinese energy company called Petrochina just announced an investment of over $5 billion in Canadian shale operations.  Some environmentalists are continuing to try to raise controversy over the so-called “fracking” used to fracture the shale with high-pressure hydraulics.  But with the new Canadian operations located in sparsely populated areas of British Columbia and Alberta, this could be another big boost for the prospects of shale gas production.