Fracking paused at Lancashire site after tremors

Cuadrilla has paused fracking at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire after what it describes as a "series of micro-seismic events".

The firm said in a statement that a "series of micro-seismic events" in Blackpool were recorded by the British Geological Survey on Friday.

The largest of those was a magnitude of 0.9 tremor at about 2pm, while workers were hydraulically fracturing at the site in Little Plumpton near Blackpool.

They said: "Detected by Cuadrilla's sophisticated monitoring system and verified by the BGS, it will be classed as a red event under the traffic-light system operated by the Oil and Gas Authority."

Anything measuring zero or below is classified as "green", while recordings up to 0.5 are "amber", meaning fracking should proceed with caution.

Readings above 0.5 magnitude are "red" and mean fracking should be suspended immediately.

"Cuadrilla has paused and will continue to monitor micro-seismicity for at least 18 hours after the event was recorded, in line with the traffic light system regulations," the company added.

"Well integrity has been checked and verified."

The move comes just three days after a tremor of 1.5 magnitude was recorded and fracking was suspended accordingly.

In October recurring tremors meant fracking at the site had to be repeatedly stopped.

Environmental groups and other campaigners have tried to stop fracking at the site but in October a judge ruled there was "no evidence" to show fracking posed more than a "medium risk".

The first shale gas was produced at the site in November, a few weeks after work began.

At the time, Cuadrilla chief executive Francis Egan said: "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 constraints, 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."