UK-based Cuadrilla company, engaged in exploring and developing shale gas in the country, said on Monday that it had suspended fracking works at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire for 18 hours after registering a 1.1-magnitude seismic activity in the area.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2018) UK-based Cuadrilla company, engaged in exploring and developing shale gas in the country, said on Monday that it had suspended fracking works at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire for 18 hours after registering a 1.1-magnitude seismic activity in the area.On October 15, Cuadrilla resumed fracking at the site after a seven-year hiatus. Last week, the company had to suspend the works at least twice after detecting a 0.4- and then a 0.76-magnitude seismic activity.
"Cuadrilla can confirm that a micro seismic event measuring 1.1ML (local magnitude) was detected at about 11.30am today (Monday, October 29) whilst the team were hydraulically fracturing at our exploration site in Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, Lancashire ... In line with regulations, hydraulic fracturing has paused for 18 hours now, during which seismicity will continue to be closely monitored by ourselves and the relevant regulator," the company said in a statement.
The statement stressed that the level of seismic activity "is way below anything that can be felt at surface and a very long way from anything that would cause damage or harm."
The UK Oil and Gas Authority requires the companies to stop fracking in case of any seismic activity above 0.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. Activity below magnitude 0.5 requires them to proceed with caution.
Cuadrilla suspended its fracking works in the United Kingdom in 2011, admitting that its activity was likely to have caused two earthquakes outside the English town of Blackpool. In 2014, it applied for a permit to resume fracking with the Lancashire county council, which gave its consent despite public protests and concerns over related environmental and health risks.
