After a series of seismic events that have hit Lancashire following Cuadrilla's fracking operations on Preston New Road, this morning the largest fracking-induced earthquake to hit the UK was confirmed near the site, measuring 2.9ml on the Richter Scale.
Residents reported houses shaking on social media, while Emeritus Professor Peter Styles, one of the co-authors of the seismic Traffic Light System (TLS) that Cuadrilla have to operate under, and a former advisor to Downing Street, states that the quake was not a 'trailing event' as some have claimed...
"There is no such thing as trailing events" he says "They are an artificial construct by someone (DECC, BEIS, industry?) and certainly not by me. These are events which occur as the fluid hydraulic changes and stress changes propagate away from the immediately fracked region and are, and always have been seen as an integral part of the seismicity response of the subsurface. The earth's response to the fracking event is not instantaneous and to somehow pretend that they are not a consequence of the fracking process is derisory."
A spokeswoman for Preston New Action Group added: "At 2.9ml, this is the largest fracking induced earthquake to have happened in the UK, it is very frightening when you hear a loud bang and things in the house rattle.
"Given that this quake was felt across Blackpool, the Fylde Coast and beyond, what is likely to have happened beneath the ground to the well at the source?" she asked "We should not be being subjected to this level of stress and fear. So many people have felt it and are trying to log it that it is proving difficult to get onto the British Geological Survey site. Fracking must be stopped immediately."
A spokesman for Frack Free Lancashire also adds "It was felt in Wesham, Kirkham, Lytham, Wrea Green, Blackpool and as far away as Chorley. As yet, Cuadrilla have failed to respond to this event but we call upon the government to halt fracking operations immediately.
"Lancashire voted against this at every level of local government but national government over-ruled and have repeatedly given us bland re-assurances about 'gold standard regulations'" he says "Enough is enough. People are cowering in their homes and just waiting and wondering when the next quake will be and how much damage it will cause. We call upon our local MPs to come off the fence and press for an immediate ban on fracking. We are sick of being treated as human guinea pigs."
Operations at the site have now been suspended by the Oil and Gas Authority.
The quake has loads of implications for Salford, which is also on the radar of the fracking industry, as seen at Barton Moss.
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