Three years ago today, the government formally confirmed a moratorium on fracking in England.

It was the second to block shale gas exploration in England and followed earthquakes induced by fracking by Cuadrilla in Lancashire.

A written ministerial statement, issued on 4 November 2019, by the then energy secretary, Andrea Leadsom, said there was a presumption against issuing any further hydraulic fracturing consents.

The moratorium would remain, the statement said:

“until compelling new evidence [undefined] is provided which addresses the concerns about the prediction and management of induced seismicity.”

Just over two months ago, the then prime minister, Liz Truss, announced the moratorium in England would be lifted.

But within six weeks she had resigned. Her replacement, Rishi Sunak, reinstated the moratorium on his second day in office.

DrillOrDrop has compiled this timeline of events that led to the introduction of the 2019 moratorium, its brief lifting and the latest U-turn.

We also look back at an earlier moratorium, introduced in 2011, also prompted by fracking in Lancashire by Cuadrilla. And we give details of moratoriums on fracking in Scotland and Wales, which have remained in force.

28 October 2022

Fracking industry warns of “great economic, environmental and geopolitical cost” from renewed moratorium Details

IGas hints at legal action following the reinstatement of the moratorium on fracking in England Details

27 October 2022

Written ministerial statement formalises reintroduction of moratorium in England Link

26 October 2022

Rishi Sunak, the new PM, hints that the moratorium is back – later confirmed by Downing Street Details

Campaigners welcome U-turn Details

25 October 2022

Rishi Sunak appointed prime minister. Details

In Downing Street, he says the 2019 manifesto is the Conservative party’s mandate. The manifesto included a commitment to keep the fracking moratorium “unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely” Details

20 October 2022

Liz Truss resigns as prime minister Details

19 October 2022

Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg faces legal challenge over fracking moratorium Details

Chaos at parliamentary vote about fracking Details

PM Liz Truss announces consultation on how to gauge fracking consent Details

12 October 2022

Climate minister Graham Stuart tells MPs “UK fracking is good for the environment” Details

5 October 2022

PM Liz Truss is heckled by anti-fracking campaigners during her speech to the Conservative conference Details

3 October 2022

Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg says shale gas companies could canvass support door-door and rules out local referendums Details

29 September 2022

PM Liz Truss does a series of local radio interviews – she tells BBC Radio Lancashire 10 times that fracking operations will need local consent but refused to rule it out Details

22 September 2022

Written ministerial statement formally lifts the moratorium. Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, says people living near fracking sites should tolerate more risk and disturbance in national interest Details

Tory anger at lifting fracking moratorium Details Reaction from campaign groups and industry Details

Government publishes BGS scientific review of fracking-induced seismicity, which concludes that forecasting earthquakes remains a scientific challenge Details

14 September 2022

Campaigners warn of “huge backlash” if government rewrites rules on fracking Details

8 September 2022

PM Liz Truss announces lifting of fracking moratorium Details and reaction

5 September 2022

Liz Truss wins Conservative Party leadership ballot confirming she will be the new prime minister Details and reaction

29 June 2022

Climate Change Committee warns of climate risk to investment in fracking Details

31 March 2022

Oil and gas industry regulator withdraws order to Cuadrilla to plug and abandon the two fracked wells at Preston New Road, near Blackpool. The company is given until June 2023 to devise plans for reuse of the wells Details

25 March 2022

Oil and gas industry regulator confirms it is refunding licence fees in England because of moratorium Details

9 March 2022

Ministers say they are “still talking” about abandoning Cuadrilla’s fracked wells at Preston New Road Details

7 March 2022

Crane arrives to plug Cuadrilla’s fracked wells at Preston New Road, near Blackpool Details

March 2022

Ongoing calls in some national newspapers for the moratorium on fracking to be lifted. Details

24 February 2022

Russia invades Ukraine

23 February 2022

Government stands firms on maintaining fracking moratorium Details

21 February 2022

Parliamentary petition opens calling on the government to lift the moratorium on fracking in England Details

12 February 2022

30 senior Conservative MPs and peers call for the moratorium on fracking in England to be lifted Details

9 February 2022

Cuadrilla announces it has been ordered to plug and abandon its two fracked shale gas wells at Preston New Road near Blackpool. The work is to be completed by the end of June 2022 Details

5 April 2021

Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy commissions British Geological Survey to carry out a scientific review of fracking techniques and developments Details and link to statement

22 September 2021

IGas writes off £10m from shale gas exploration Details

31 March 2021

Climate Change Committee says ongoing moratorium should not be lifted without considering the impact of shale gas on greenhouse gas emissions Details

2 November 2020

Industry evidence on earthquakes is “insufficient” to lift fracking moratorium, says industry regulator Details

24 November 2019

Conservative election manifesto says:

“We will not support fracking unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely.” Details

4 November 2019

Written ministerial statement confirming moratorium on fracking in England Details and link

3 November 2019

Campaigners call for fracking halt to be extended to acid stimulation Details

2 November 2019

Moratorium announced on fracking in England Details and reaction

Oil & Gas Authority publishes findings of studies commissioned on induced seismicity at the PNR-1Z well at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site Link to studies

6 October 2019

Last fracking-induced tremor from Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site recorded by British Geological Survey Details

2 October 2019

Frack pumps leave Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site near Blackpool as campaigners mark 1,000 days of protest Details

30 September 2019

Cuadrilla confirms that no more fracking will take place at its Preston New Road site near Blackpool before the planning deadline at the end of November 2019 Details

18 September 2019

Government says the suspension of fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site near Blackpool will continue during an investigation into the tremors Details

12 September 2019

Official logs reveal that Cuadrilla fracked seven times before the 2.9ML tremor on 26 August 2019 Details

31 August 2019

Rally outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road, near Blackpool, calls for a ban on fracking in Lancashire Details

27 August 2019

Residents write to Cuadrilla urging the company to abandon its Preston New Road site Details

26 August 2019

2.9ML earthquake caused by fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking site felt across the Fylde region of Lancashire. This is the largest fracking-induced earthquake in the UK so far. The regulator suspends work at the site Details Earthquakes continue to be reported by the British Geological Survey until 6 October 2019 Details

25 August 2019

2.1ML tremor induced by fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site prompts call for fracking ban after buildings are shaken Details

21 August 2019

1.6ML earthquake recorded at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site – residents say they are “living in fear” Details

15 August 2019

Cuadrilla begins fracking of PNR2 well Details and reaction. First induced seismicity attributed to fracking at 12.15 GMT Details

25 February 2019

Industry regulator, the Oil & Gas Authority, announces it will carry out scientific analysis of data from Cuadrilla’s’ fracking at the PNR1Z well at Preston New Road Details

12 February 2019

Local government secretary James Brokenshire refuses Cuadrilla’s appeal against refusal of planning permission at Roseacre Wood Details

18 December 2018

Cuadrilla moves some equipment off its Preston New Road site near Blackpool after fracking stops Details Between 15 October and 18 December 2018, fracking at the site induced more than 50 earthquakes recorded by the British Geological Survey Details

6 November 2018

Lancashire Tory and Labour MPs demand government action over earthquakes linked to Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site Details

30 October 2018

Councillors and campaigners urge the government to halt fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site following a series of earth tremors of increasing strength Details

26 October 2018

First red-level tremor measuring 0.8ML recorded at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking site near Blackpool Details

20 October 2018

A crowd estimated at more than 1,000 gathers outside Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking site near Blackpool, calling for the company to “go home” Details

18 October 2018

First seismic events recorded by the British Geological Survey in the area around Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site and attributed to fracking Details

15 October 2018

Cuadrilla confirms that fracking has started on the PNR1z well at its Preston New Road site near Blackpool Details

10 April 2018

Public inquiry reopens into Cuadrilla’s appeal against refusal of planning permission for Roseacre Wood Details

24 October 2017

Scottish parliament backs an indefinite moratorium on fracking and unconventional oil and gas Details

5 January 2017

Site construction work begins at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking site near Blackpool Details

6 October 2016

Local government secretary Sajid Javid overrules Lancashire County Council’s refusal and grants planning permission for drilling and fracking at Preston New Road and reopens inquiry into Roseacre Wood Details

25 March 2016

Welsh moratorium on unconventional oil and gas extended to underground coal gasification Details

9 February 2016

Start of a six-week public inquiry in Blackpool into refusal of permission at Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood Details

4 February 2016

Welsh Senedd votes in favour of a moratorium on unconventional oil and gas developments. Confirmed 13 February 2016

23 July 2015

Cuadrilla confirms it will appeal against refusal of planning permission for fracking at Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood Details

29 June 2015

Lancashire County Council refuses planning permission for fracking at Preston New Road on noise and landscape grounds Details

25 June 2015

Lancashire County Council refuses planning permission for fracking at Roseacre Wood on traffic grounds Details

28 January 2015

Scottish government announces a moratorium on fracking planning permissions Details

12 June 2014

Lancashire County Council publishes Cuadrilla’s planning application to frack at Preston New Road Details

18 May 2014

Lancashire County Council publishes Cuadrilla’s planning application to frack at Roseacre Wood Details

4 February 2014

Cuadrilla announces plans for two new fracking sites in Lancashire Details

13 December 2012

Moratorium lifted by Ed Davey Written Ministerial Statement

17 April 2012

Review published of Cuadrilla reports linking fracking and earthquakes at Preese Hall Link

20 June 2011

Cuadrilla writes to the Department of Energy asking whether the moratorium applies to its Bolney prospect at Balcombe in West Sussex, where it intends to explore for oil. The company says

“In order for Bolney to be successful in its Weald Basin Kimmeridge Oil Shale project, Bolney will need to rely, to a significant degree, on being able to undertake hydraulic fracture stimulation(s) of this unconventional reservoir.”

Details

31 May 2011

Government imposes moratorium on fracking

27 May 2011

1.5ML earthquake caused by fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preese Hall shale gas site

1 April 2011

2.3ML earthquake caused by fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preese Hall shale gas site Details

16 August 2010

Preese Hall-1 well spudded

30 October 2009

Formal grant of planning permission to Cuadrilla to drill and test Preese Hall well, near Kirkham Decision notice

31 July 2009

Cuadrilla’s planning application accepted to drill and test a shale gas well at Preese Hall near Kirkham Application form