When Lancashire was rocked by a 2.9 magnitude earthquake the last time fracking came to town – Lancs Live

Political chaos, the skyrocketing cost of living - and now the fracking row in Lancashire is the latest addition to an increasingly long list of issues rocking the country.

It was thrust back into the spotlight last month in a U-turn on former government policy which had overturned a ban ont he controversial technology within days of new Prime Minister Liz Truss stepping through the doors of No. 10. The temporary 2019 rulling followed quakes in the area close to shale gas wells in Preston New Road, near Blackpool.

Now Liz Truss has pledged to put spades in the ground to boost the UKs energy security, many in West Lancs and on the Fylde Coast are fearful of the repercussions.

READ MORE: Dad's horror as autistic son, 3, escapes Blackburn nursery before crossing busy road

The government has cited Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine and the need for energy security as reasons behind the move. Business and energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed concerns around fracking as hysteria'.

He has claimed current rules that fracking should stop for tremors over 0.5 in magnitude are too strict.

So with all this in mind, LancsLive has turned the clock back to take a look at fracking, and why it's so controversial in Lancashire.

The first tremors to be felt in Lancashire were quakes near Blackpool with magnitudes of 1.5 and 2.3 in 2011. The first, a 2.3 magnitude quake centred on Poulton-le-Fylde in April 2011, and was not conclusively linked by the British Geological Survey at the time to fracking. The BGS said at the time: "Any process that injects pressurised water into rocks at depth will cause the rock to fracture and possibly produce earthquakes. It is well known that injection of water or other fluids during the oil extraction and geothermal engineering, such as shale gas, processes can result in earthquake activity."

A 1.5 magnitude earthquake followed in May 2011. Cuadrilla Resources, which was carrying out fracking at Preese Hall, Weeton, said at the time it had suspended operations while it looked at information from the British Geological Survey before deciding whether it was safe to continue. The then-Cuadrilla Resources chief executive Mark Miller said, after the May tremor: "We take our responsibilities very seriously and that is why we have stopped fracking operations to share information and consult with the relevant authorities and other experts. We expect that this analysis and subsequent consultation will take a number of weeks to conclude and we will decide on appropriate actions after that."

Lancashire County Council refused permission for Cuadrilla to drill for shale gas at two sites in Lancashire in June 2015, Preston New Road in Little Plumpton near Blackpool and Roseacre Wood, a village 15 kilometres east of Blackpool. But their decision over the Preston New Road site was overturned by the then Communities Secretary Sajid Javid on appeal from Cuadrilla in 2016.

Cuadrilla repeatedly had to stop operations in 2018, under Britain's traffic light regulation system, which immediately suspends work if seismic activity of magnitude 0.5 or above is detected, according to The Express newspaper in 2019.

Do you think fracking is a good idea? Let us know what you think in the comments below

In 2019, Blackpool had the dubious accolade of becoming the UKs earthquake hotspot. The area was said to have experienced 135 earthquakes that year, according to information from the British Geological Survey, which was was more than anywhere else in the UK, and in addition to 57 more in 2018.

One of the earth tremors measured 2.9 on the Richter scale, causing property damage and prompting an investigation by regulators. The tremor was recorded at around 08:30 BST on August 26, with Cuadrilla saying it was investigating but no fracking was being carried out at the time. One resident said: Just felt serious earthquake in Marton, Blackpool, about 08.30 hrs.. The bed and house shook for a couple of seconds. Never experienced anything like that before. Another added: 8:31 this morning. Bed and wardrobe literally shaking."

It was the third in less than a week, with another earthquake two days previously, with a magnitude of 2.1 at the Little Plumpton well, and another one measuring 1.6 magnitude three days prior to that. Tremors were reportedly felt in Blackpool, Lytham, St Annes, Wesham and surrounding rural areas during the August 24 one, with claims that residents witnessed houses shaking, books falling off shelves, widespread property damage and people being awoken from sleep from the noise and impact.

Cuadrilla, which operated the Preston New Road site, said after the earthquake on August 24 that 'minor ground movements of this level are expected'. A spokesperson for Cuadrilla said: We can confirm that a micro seismic event measuring 2.1ML (local magnitude) on the Richter scale occured at Preston New Road. This lasted for around one second and resulted in ground motion less than 1.5 mm/s. Hydraulic fracturing was not taking place at the time. Minor ground movements of this level are to be expected. Whilst this event has been felt by people on our site and some local households, it is well below anything that can cause harm or damage to anyone or their property.

Resident Carol Kerr moved to Little Plumpton 18 years ago and wanted a comfortable, semi-rural life. When the fracking started, she said she felt earth shake whilst walking around her estate, something which she described as terrifying. She told Lancs Live last month: "You move to an area like this to retire. I mean, I've lived in St. Annes for years, I had a business there, and you move here to retire, and have it comfortable. But now, nobody's gonna want to buy your property. I'm getting to an age where I'd really like to downsize now and nobody's going to want to move here."

Frack Free Lancashire said after the largest earthquake: This morning, there was an earthquake measuring 2.9ML. This is the largest ever recorded in the area and human-induced from fracking operations. It was felt in Wesham, Kirkham, Lytham, Wrea Green, Blackpool and as far away as Chorley. " They continued: "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. 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.

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, said at the time: "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."

After the quake in August 2019, the UKs Oil and Gas Authority said it was not possible to predict the magnitude or timing of earthquakes that could be caused by fracking. And protests by green groups, anti fracking organisations and environmentalists ramped up, with some protestors chaining themselves to fracking equipment, forcing local authorities to raise the policing activity in the areas.

Fast forward to March 2022, and Lancashire's two shale gas wells were to be plugged, at the site near Preston New Road close to Blackpool. This was widely seen as ending more than a decade of controversy over fracking for gas in the UK, and was hailed by the antifracking lobby, local campaigners and environmentalists.

The then Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said in April: "In light of Putins criminal invasion of Ukraine, it is absolutely right that we explore all possible domestic energy sources. However, unless the latest scientific evidence demonstrates that shale gas extraction is safe, sustainable and of minimal disturbance to those living and working nearby, the pause in England will remain in place.

But the then PM Boris Johnson was still sitting on the fence in April, telling Lancs Live that fracking would only be resurrected if safe and the country wasnt there yet. He said: If the science supports it, if it can be done safely - I dont think were there yet, it doesnt mean were not willing to have another look - but we want to prioritise the offshore potential because thats where I think we can make a change fastest."

Liz Truss reversed the temporary fracking ban last month. This has thrust the shale gas reserves in Lancashire and across the country back into the spotlight, prompting fresh outrage from local groups, environmentalists and anti frackers and dividing communities across the region.

A glimmer of rationalism appeared this week in Preston, when Lancashire County Council stepped in and called on the government to clarify how local people will give their consent on any proposed fracking in their area. LLC also wants any decision to grant planning permission to be made solely by the county council and not Westminster.

At a Lancashire County Council meeting on Thursday, October 13, councillors approved a motion for LCC to write to No 10 to ask for clarity on fracking consent and to commit to any decision to permit planning permission for fracking to be made solely by the county council. County Councillor Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth, said: "When the moratorium on fracking was introduced in 2019 it was welcomed by Lancashire people because local residents had seen years of disruption to their lives, and there was considerable cost to the public purse to manage the protests. The new prime minister has lifted the moratorium but has given a clear commitment that fracking will only happen in areas where there is local community support.

"We welcome this, as it is right that local people should have the final say about whether fracking happens in their area or not. We now need clarity on what local consent means in practice which is why we're writing to the government to ask them. As the body responsible for planning applications for fracking, we need this information so that we can update our policies on how any proposals that come forward will be assessed. We also believe that any planning decisions on fracking should lie with the county council as local representatives are best-placed to understand the needs and wishes of their local communities."

Any plans to frack in Lancashire following the lifting of the moratorium will be subject to planning approval from Lancashire County Council. The council said it has a legal duty to prepare a local plan on how these applications will be assessed and they have to take into account government guidance and policy. A Lancashire County Council spokesperson added: "Because it is the planning body for fracking, the council should remain neutral on whether it is right or wrong that the moratorium has been lifted. This is so that any application that may come in can be considered in an unbiased way and avoids "predetermination", which can leave decisions open to legal challenge."

The North Sea Transition Authority, which awards petroleum exploration and development licences (PEDLS) has said that there are 151 nationwide. A spokesperson told Lancs Live last week that that the licences don't give direct permission to companies, as permits and consents are needed, adding: A petroleum exploration and development licence (PEDL) does not itself give any direct permission for operations to begin. A petroleum exploration and development licence (PEDL) grants the licensee exclusivity over an area of land for onshore hydrocarbon exploration, appraisal and extraction.

Before a petroleum exploration and development licence (PEDL) licensee can begin operations, they must be granted a number of further permissions and consents, including, for example, planning permission, environmental permits from the Environment Agency, scrutiny of well design by the Health and Safety Executive, and North Sea Transition Authority consents under the terms of the petroleum exploration and development licence (PEDL).

Any licensee may apply for permission to hydraulically fracture a well in parallel with the necessary planning permission and other regulatory consents, including a Hydraulic Fracture Consent from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). In doing so they would need to prepare a Hydraulic Fracture Plan (HFP) setting out how the risks of seismicity will be managed. The North Sea Transition Authoritys requirements will be developed in the light of the governments new policy.

Charles McAllister, director at UK Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG), which represents the oil and gas industry said: "There is an evident need to boost UK natural gas production for economic, environmental and geopolitical reasons. Every single net zero compliant scenario from the Climate Change Committee shows that there is a gap between what can be produced in the North Sea and what the UK will demand out to 2050. It is a simple choice between natural gas imports and UK shale gas. Imports do not offer the benefits that a domestic shale gas industry offers, be that employment opportunities, tax revenue, community benefits, a lower carbon gas supply or energy security

The regulatory framework for shale gas development is very strict. For example, operators cannot use hydraulic fracturing shallower than 1 km in depth, must conduct groundwater monitoring before, during and after operations and can only use chemicals designated non-hazardous to groundwater

"A report from the Institute of Directors concluded that at maximum levels of shale gas development, water use would be less than 1% of what is consumed in any one year by households, agriculture and industry. Wastewater produced from shale gas development will be treated at facilities licensed by the Environment Agency. These facilities across the UK are already treating wastewater from offshore oil and gas production as well as from other industrial activities

"On seismicity, had the regulations applied to shale gas development been applied to the construction, quarrying or geothermal industries, none of them would be able to operate in the UK. The largest seismic event from the Preston New Road site in Lancashire lasted 2 seconds and the surface vibration was one half of the maximum permitted at construction sites

Traffic movements are not exclusive to the onshore oil and gas industry. Operators carefully prepare traffic management plans to minimise the impact on local communities. It is not an either or between shale gas and renewables, we need to maximise UK energy in all forms, however, UK shale gas can deliver more energy per acre per year than most other energy technologies. For example, to produce the same amount of energy as a 10 well 2 hectare shale gas site over 2 decades, you would need a wind farm 725 times the size.

Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan said last month that the reversal of the fracking ban was 'the right call', pointing to the financial benefits for local communities and job creation across the North Of England, stating: I am very pleased that the Government has quickly and decisively followed up the Prime Ministers announcement of two weeks ago with todays WMS.

Communities across the North of England stand to benefit most.. Cuadrilla is determined that a portion of all shale gas revenue should be delivered to local residents as a community dividend. This would mean each producing shale gas site could generate potentially hundreds of millions of pounds for local households, families, and communities.

On top of this, a thriving shale gas industry will drive job creation across the North of England, generate much needed tax revenues for central and local government, and help tackle spiralling gas prices. Lifting the moratorium will help the shale industry unlock UK onshore natural gas in quantities sufficient to meet the UKs needs for decades to come.

"The last few months have highlighted the risks associated with ever increasing reliance on expensive, uncertain, and higher emission gas imports. The Written Ministerial Statement sets the foundation for us to move towards gas self-sufficiency, and not be reliant on the whims of dictators, or the vagaries of international supply lines and prices. The Government has made the right call, and we look forward to working with them to ensure this industry can start delivering for local communities, and the entire country, as soon as possible.

READ NEXT:

Get the latest news here in one click

View post:

When Lancashire was rocked by a 2.9 magnitude earthquake the last time fracking came to town - Lancs Live