Weekend Long Read: Campaigners call for tougher rules on acid use at Weald oil sites
Campaigners in southern England have criticised what they say is a “gaping hole” in the regulations covering the use of acid on oil sites.
Campaigners in southern England have criticised what they say is a “gaping hole” in the regulations covering the use of acid on oil sites.
The government’s rejection of Cuadrilla’s call for a relaxation of rules on earthquakes caused by fracking has been welcomed tonight by campaigners in Lancashire.
The energy minister, Claire Perry, has revised her “myth buster” about shale gas and fracking, apparently to take account a series of earthquakes near Cuadrilla’s site in Lancashire.
Fracking at Cuadrilla’s shale gas site near Blackpool, which began last week, has already been linked to 12 minor earth tremors.
The energy minister who promotes economic benefits of shale gas has not visited a site, she said this week. She also appears to have back-tracked on hints that she might relax rules on earthquakes induced by fracking.
People will be able to view seismic monitoring data from around Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking site, the company said today.
The seventh earthquake in just over three months was recorded in part of Surrey at midday today.
Fracking companies have failed to use all available geological data when applying for planning permission, according to a report launched at Westminster this afternoon.
Fracking near geological faults in former coal mining areas could trigger earthquakes and should not take place without careful assessment of all available geological data, according to one of the UK’s leading experts on the subject.
The oil exploration company, UKOG, says there’s no connection between its drilling site at Horse Hill near Gatwick Airport and the Easter earthquake in Surrey.