Cuadrilla Gets Injunction Extended

UK shale gas explorer Cuadrilla says its court injunction has been extended until June 1 2020.

In a statement, the company said that Judge Pelling at the High Court in Manchester on July 11 awarded Cuadrilla and local farmers an extension until June 1 next year - the 1st anniversary of the start of their current injunction - covering its shale gas exploration operations at Preston New Road, Lancashire site in northwest England. It forbids trespass on that site and surrounding farmland and prohibits unlawful obstruction of the site entrance and adjacent main A583 road.

Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan said: “We firmly believe that this is an important deterrent to unlawful protest that has significantly disrupted and inconvenienced local commuters and businesses over many months.” He insisted that lawful and peaceful protest would be respected.

Early this April, Cuadrilla completed the UK's first horizontal shale gas well and said it may produce shale gas by next year if all goes to plan. The company has secured all its permits from the Environment Agency for a full hydraulic fracturation programme at the site, but is understood to still require a sign-off by UK business and energy secretary Greg Clark before it can start production based on fracking.

Alternative news source DrillorDrop reported that an injunction granted to another shale gas developer Ineos is to be challenged by two other campaigners at the Court of Appeal in March 2019, while a deputy High Court judge is considering another injunction by UK Oil and Gas with a ruling expected this August. Ineos plans to legally overturn a Scottish government ban on fracking but faces tough opposition.