In January, the government imposed a moratorium on onshore unconventional oil and gas exploration, including hydraulic fracturing, citing the need for thorough and wide-ranging research into the potential impacts of such onshore techniques.
Simultaneously, the Scottish Government outlined its plan for a full public consultation and research work, which included a full public health impact assessment, further work to strengthen planning guidance, and further tightening of environmental regulation.
The process of fracking involves bringing out the gas trapped in shale rock, by blasting the rock with water, sand and chemicals.
Following meeting with key stakeholder groups, the government extended the planned work to include transport impacts research, seismic monitoring research, consideration of decommissioning and aftercare, climate change impacts research, and economic impacts research.
Scottish Energy Minster Fergus Ewing said: "The studies announced today constitute an extremely thorough and wide-ranging examination of the potential impacts of unconventional oil and gas and underlines the Scottish Government policy of taking a precautionary, robust and evidence-based approach to this technology in stark contrast to the gung-ho approach of the UK Government."
The government will decide whether to retain the shale gas moratorium or not after studying the outcome of the consultation scheduled in spring 2017.
However, the UK Government, in July, proposed new regulations allowing underground shale fracking in protected areas, but with some restrictions.
Commenting on the new decision, Scottish National Party MSP Angus MacDonald said: "This welcome announcement is an extension of the Scottish Government’s cautious, considered, evidence-based approach to unconventional oil and gas and contrasts sharply with the Tory UK government’s gung-ho approach to the issue."
Additionally, UCG will undergo a separate assessment, which will be led by University of Glasgow environment research professor Campbell Gemmel.
The UCG gas extraction involves injection of oxidants into underground coal deposits to heat them to temperatures, enabling gas to escape.
