And given the fact that the UK's annual gas consumption is currently about 3 trillion cubic feet, "our estimates for our area alone could mean that the UK would not have to import gas for a period of 10 to 15 years", IGas chief executive Andrew Austin declared. Furthermore, Mr. Austin added that shale gas exploration might also lead to the creation of up to 40,000 jobs in the area, which would really be an important boost for an otherwise economically-deprived region.