France’s oil behemoth Total will reveal a sizable $50 million investment in British shale tomorrow, in what the FT is calling a “vote of confidence” on the UK’s shale prospects. Total is keen on tapping some of the UK’s estimated 1.3 quadrillion cubic feet of shale gas and will explore two areas in east England for natural gas trapped in shale.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is opening up the UK’s countryside to drilling—and, yes, that includes fracking—and he’s got a message for the EU: don’t rule out our shale gas.