Industry news
Lancashire fracking to continue
Posted Tue, 17 Apr 2012
Hydraulic fracturing is likely to resume in Lancashire under a new system of tight controls, it has been announced.
The gas drilling operation, halted last year after it caused two small earthquakes in Blackpool, will once again get underway.
The earthquakes, which occurred on 1 April and 27 May and were of magnitude 2.3 and 1.5 respectively, caused no damage. However, a number of locals contacted the police to report shaking.
Now, Government-commissioned independent experts have concluded hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", should continue at the Preese Hall well, as long as stringent regulations are abided by.
These include closely monitoring the site using seismic sensors, and ensuring that even a tremor too small to be noticed above ground results in an immediate shutdown. Remedial action would then have to be carried out before work could be resumed again.
"Fracking" involves injecting high pressure water and chemicals into shale rock to release trapped natural gas.
Copyright Press Association 2012