More record tremors detected at UK fracking site

Further record-breaking tremors have been detected at shale gas explorer Cuadrilla Resources’ Preston New Road site near Blackpool, casting doubt on whether the shale gas explorer will be allowed to continue its activity.

A 2.9 local magnitude (ML) seismic event was recorded in Lancashire at 08:30 on August 26, the British Geological Survey (BGS) stated. The tremor was greater than the vibrations of 1.4-2.3ML linked to Cuadrilla’s activity in 2011, which forced the company to halt operations until October last year.

Cuadrilla confirmed the tremor later that morning, noting that no hydraulic fracturing work had been taking place at the time, or over the weekend.

“We are investigating the event alongside the regulators who monitor Preston New Road,” it said. “Updated information will be posted here as soon as we have it.”

Cuadrilla reported another tremor of 2.1ML at 23:01 on August 24, lasting for only one second and causing ground motion of under 1.5mm/s.

“Minor ground movements of this level are to be expected,” a company spokesperson said of that incident.“Whilst this event has been felt by people on our site and some local households, it is well below anything that can cause harm or damage to anyone or their property.”

The latest tremors come just days after Cuadrilla was forced to shut down operations for 18 hours after a 1.55MT tremor was recorded. Government rules state hydraulic fracturing must cease whenever seismic activity of above 0.5MT is recorded – a threshold that Cuadrilla says is too restrictive.