UK-based Cuadrilla company, engaged in exploring and developing shale gas in the country, said in a statement on Friday that the first portion of shale gas had been produced at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2018) UK-based Cuadrilla company, engaged in exploring and developing shale gas in the country, said in a statement on Friday that the first portion of shale gas had been produced at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire."The volumes of gas returning to surface at this stage are small. However considering that we are only at the very start of fracturing operations and, given operating constrains, have not yet been able to inject as much sand into the shale as we had planned, this is a good early indication of the gas potential that we have long talked about," Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan said, as quoted in the statement.
Speaking about constraints, Egan might have been referring to the fact that since mid-October Cuadrilla was forced to suspend its operations at the Preston New Road site several times due to detection of seismic activity in the area. Cuadrilla's plans to resume its fracking operations after having suspended them in 2011 were met with strong criticism of the local community over their concerns that fracking could cause seismic activity.
"This initial gas flow is by no means the end of the story. However it provides early encouragement that the Bowland Shale can provide a significant source of natural gas to heat Lancashire and UK homes and offices and reduce our ever growing reliance on expensive foreign imports," Egan added.
After the completion of the hydraulic fracturing operations, which are currently underway, Cuadrilla plans to start fully testing the flow rates from the first two exploration wells.
"If we are able to fully test these wells, without compromising on safety, we have the potential to make a major difference to UK energy supply, security and economic prosperity," Egan said.
On October 31, Egan called on the UK government to ease the UK Oil and Gas Authority's requirements forcing companies to stop fracking in case of any seismic activity above 0.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. Egan believes that a change in the regulations would help fracking become UK major industry and reduce the country's reliance on gas imports.
