Fracking stopped at Preston New Road after 'red event' earthquake

Another earthquake has hit Blackpool near the Preston New Road fracking site - and it's the biggest one so far.
Where the recent earthquake took place. Picture from Google mapsWhere the recent earthquake took place. Picture from Google maps
Where the recent earthquake took place. Picture from Google maps

Cuadrilla has stopped all fracking operations for 18 hours due to the 'red event' quake, which happened at around 11.30am.

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Where the recent earthquake took place. Picture from Google mapsWhere the recent earthquake took place. Picture from Google maps
Where the recent earthquake took place. Picture from Google maps

In a statement, a Cuadrilla spokesman said: "A micro seismic event of 0.76ML was detected just after 11.30am at Cuadrilla's shale gas exploration site in Preston New Road.

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"Cuadrilla was hydraulicaly fracturing the shale rock adjacent to the horizontal well at the time and the seismicity is classed as a red event in line with the traffic light monitoring system regulated by the oil and gas authority.

"Operations have now paused for the next 18 hours during which seismicity levels will continue to be measured.

"The BGS records seismicity to one decimal place and therefore have recorded the event at 0.8ML.

"Micro seismic events such as these can result in tiny movements that are way below anything that could be felt at the surface, much less cause any harm or damage. Without sophisticated monitoring at Cuadrilla, they would not be detected. It is reassuring that the monitoring and traffic light system is working as it should."

Fracking is expected to resume at the site tomorrow morning.

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