UK oil and gas exploration company Cuadrilla announced on Thursday that it would resume the controversial fracking for shale gas near the town of Blackpool on the Lancashire coast, North West England, in the third quarter of 2019
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th July, 2019) UK oil and gas exploration company Cuadrilla announced on Thursday that it would resume the controversial fracking for shale gas near the town of Blackpool on the Lancashire coast, North West England, in the third quarter of 2019.
The fracking began in October, but was suspended on numerous occasions over minor underground tremors. The activities remain frozen since December. The UK Oil and Gas Authority requires companies to stop fracking in case of any seismic activity above 0.5 on the Richter magnitude scale.
"The company, which is based just outside Preston, will remobilise hydraulic fracturing and testing equipment in the third quarter of 2019 and, subject to all required regulatory approvals, complete the work programme by the end of November this year," the shale exploration operator said in a statement.
The company stressed that the project was a "hugely exciting opportunity for the UK."
"We are also working to demonstrate that natural gas produced from UK shale is likely to be the most environmentally sensible and economically beneficial long term feedstock for hydrogen generation, essential if the UK is to hit net zero CO2 emissions by 2050," CEO Francis Egan said, as quoted in the statement.
Egan also noted that the shale exploration activities were especially vital, given the projections that "the UK demand for natural gas in 2050 will be about 70 per cent of what we're using today."
"It is shocking that most of this gas might be imported, from the US, middle East, North Africa or Russia, producing about double the methane emissions and none of the economic benefit of a well-run, well-regulated domestic gas supply from UK shale," he added.
The shale project, however, has attracted much controversy and opposition from environmentalists, local authorities and residents. Opponents of hydraulic fracturing argue the process poses numerous health, safety and environmental risks, including the potential for fracking fluids and waste to leak into water as well as seismic activity risks.
