In 2004, the United Kingdom became a net natural gas importer partly because of declining reserves in the North Sea. Currently, the country is one of the world's top 10 natural gas importers. It receives much of its natural gas via pipeline from Norway, but Norway, too, is facing declining reserves in the North Sea. London wants to reverse this trend so that it does not have to spend so much money buying and re-gasifying foreign natural gas, and it is taking the necessary steps to promote shale gas exploration. For example, the British government has already removed a ban on hydraulic fracturing, and the fact that it is more business-friendly than most other countries with large shale gas resources, such as Argentina, could ease development eventually. But since British shale gas exploration is still in its infancy, it is unclear how much the country will be able to produce.