The search for shale gas has started ahead of schedule in Stokes County.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported that the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources began assessing a site Monday.

A drilling crew set up machinery on publicly owned land near Walnut Cove to begin assessing the Dan River basin for the presence of shale gas.

Drilling had been expected to start Friday.

A state agency spokesman said the work in Walnut Cove started earlier because similar holes in the Cumberland-Marlboro basin were completed ahead of schedule.

Kyle Davis with the group No Fracking in Stokes says if the samples come back positive, fracking could begin in the county.

Fracking involves injecting water, sand and chemicals to break apart underground rocks so oil and gas can escape.