Cuadrilla Fracking Linked to Earthquakes
Two earthquakes in the area around Blackpool have been linked to hydraulic fracturing operations conducted by Cuadrilla Resources.
The British Geological Survey reported that an earthquake on May 27 was recorded at a magnitude of 1.5, following one in the same area on April 1 at 2.3. The epicenter for both had been identified as being within hundreds of meters of Cuadrilla's Preese Hall drilling site at depths of 2.0 and 3.6 kilometers respectively.
The BGS said that correlations between the earthquakes and the time of hydraulic fracturing operations used to extract shale gas and the proximity of the quakes to the site, all pointed towards the earthquakes being a result of the fracking process.
Cuadtilla held talks with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) late last week to discuss the initial findings of a report commissioned to review the earthquake-fracking linkage.
Toni Harvey, a senior geoscientist at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said: “If we allow fracking to continue and their mitigation didn’t work, then we would shut them down again, without a doubt.
“There is a lot of concern in the media and from ministers about public safety.”
“DECC has requested a detailed report from Cuadrilla, which we understand they are close to finalising. When the report is received, it will be carefully considered, with input from British Geological Survey and other experts.
“We will also be discussing the report with other regulators before any decision is made on resuming hydraulic fracturing operations for shale gas.”
Mark Miller, CEO of Cuadrilla Resources, said: “We met with officials from DECC and their technical advisors and had a useful, in-depth working session on the initial findings of the report.
“There is some considerable work still to do and we absolutely share with DECC the need to have the complex issues involved addressed dealt with satisfactorily.”
The findings come as a major setback for Cuadrilla, which recentlly announced a shale gas discovery with a total potential resource of 200 trillion cubic feet.
Source: Blackpool Gazette