Balcombe , United Kingdom ( CNN ) -- The fear of fracking has come to Britain , replete with worries about potential earthquakes and tap water tainted with natural gas that bursts into flames at the strike of a match.. Since a ban on the method of extracting natural gas was lifted in May , a company has begun exploratory drilling in the southern town of Balcombe to see what reserves may lie locked up in rock strata far beneath its rolling hills and green meadows . Read more : 'Fracking ' protesters say drilling jobs not worth environmental risks . The energy company Cuadrilla Resources has not applied for permission to frack , but that has not stopped hundreds of furious protesters from trying to block its work . They fear that if gas reserves are found , fracking will come in short order . Help from USA . Activists Jo and Karen strummed out a folksy tune on their guitars , singing : `` Frack attack . They 'll frack you 'til you die . '' The two have come over from across the Atlantic to join local protesters . Read more : Make sure fracking is done right . `` We are fighting fracking in the United States , '' Karen said . She has brought her ecological concerns with her , bemoaning that the United Kingdom may be going down the same path . `` It ruins the ground water regardless of what they say , '' Karen said . `` We 've got people who can light their water in fire with the tap , '' Jo said . `` They fracked Pennsylvania to death . '' Proponents : It 's safe . And as in the United States , proponents of fracking argue that the boost in energy supply is enormous and the methods are safe . Read more : Opinion : Fracking is a threat to health and well-being . Cuadrilla believes there is about 200 trillion cubic feet of gas under the ground just within one of its local license areas . To put that figure into context , the United Kingdom uses about 3 trillion cubic feet of gas a year , chief executive officer Francis Egan said . `` We are able absolutely to protect the environment and protect the way in which fracking is done , '' said Britain 's energy minister Michael Fallon . `` If there is any risk it will be stopped immediately . '' Read more : UK ministers consider offering communities fracking sweeteners . But the reassurances are not enough for many . A coalition of opponents to the drilling is growing . People who are otherwise political adversaries are uniting over the issue . Conservatives at risk . Concerned local conservatives have joined the ranks of traditional anti-fracking protesters from the radical left . Much of the gas exploration is taking place in rural regions that usually support the conservative party , which is in favor of drilling . Many of their constituents do n't like the prospects of what fracking might do to their water supply in spite of potential the gains . `` We ca n't have an industry rolling into communities like this one and destroying it just for the sake of money , '' said Balcombe resident Katie Dunn . It 's politically risky for conservative politicians . Fracking could blow a hole in their support at the next election .
Residents worry about potential earthquakes and tap water tainted with natural gas . Energy company has not applied for permission to frack , but protesters try to block its work . U.S. protesters have flown to the UK to join local demonstrators . UK energy minister : 'If there is any risk it will be stopped immediately '