Cuadrilla gets ready to take down drill rig at Preston New Road site

Cuadrilla's drilling rig soon to be dismantled. On the right can be seen the two flare towers ready for the gas flow testing

It has also put up two towers which will be used to burn off gas recovered from deep underground after the fracking process has been carried out once given the go ahead by Business Secretary, Greg Clark.

Fracking could start in September.

The second well was drilled 2,100m deep and 750m long horisontally.

The first well at the site was 2,300m deep and 800m long.

Cuadrilla chief executive Francis Egan said: “We are very pleased to have successfully completed drilling the UK’s first two horizontal shale gas wells, as we continue to lead the way on UK shale exploration.

“Our objective is to demonstrate that natural gas will flow from the shale in commercially viable quantities.”

The drilling rig at the site is now being dismantled to be returned to its owners in Germany.

The site team will then start to prepare for the hydraulic fracturing phase with much of the required equipment already on site.

Anti-fracking campaigner Barbara Richardson said: “It must also be remembered that Cuadrilla is many months behind its original schedule. They have only drilled two of their proposed four lateral wells.”