Shale drilling halted following earthquake

Shale gas drilling has been suspended in Lancashire following a second earthquake in two months.

Cuadrilla, the company responsible for drilling for the combustible gas, stopped the operation on Friday (May 27th) as a precaution after a 1.5 magnitude earthquake at Poulton-le-Fylde.

The Fylde coast also suffered a tremor measuring 2.2 on the Richter scale on April 1st.

Shale gas drilling, also known as fracking, involves using hydraulic pressure or small explosions to shatter shale rocks underground, causing them to release gas which is then collected.

"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," said Mark Miller, chief executive of Cuadrilla Resources.

The company will review information collected by the British Geological Survey (BGS) before deciding on its next course of action.

Fracking is a controversial process, with protestors and US environmental groups claiming that leaks of the combustible gas into drinking supplies can cause water to ignite out of the tap.