Page 6 - Gi February 2019 - flipbook

NEWS | INDUSTRY

Earthquake rules must be

relaxed for fracking to take off

in Britain, says Ineos chief

BRITAIN’S FRACKING
INDUSTRY is unlikely
to realise its potential
unless rules governing
earthquakes at drilling sites
are loosened, according
to the petrochemicals
giant with the biggest
exploration rights.
Ministers have championed
the controversial shale gas
extraction technique, giving
the go-ahead to the first
operation in the UK for seven
years at a site in Lancashire.
However, business at
the Preston New Road site
has had to be repeatedly
put on hold by fossil fuel
exploration company
Cuadrilla due to minor
earth tremors.
Under current rules, any
earthquake that exceeds Drilling at Preston New CUADRILLA
the seismic limit of 0.5 Road has halted again
must bring drilling to a
halt, but industry figures massively in UK fracking, raising the quake limit to The government has
have suggested this limit is Mr Crotty confirmed the a magnitude of 2 would previously stated it is not
too strict. firm was nowhere near allow them to operate currently intending to relax
Now Tom Crotty, an Ineos extracting fossil fuels successfully and safely. seismicity rules, reports
director, told The Times he using this technique, citing Mr Crotty agreed there The Independent. However,
thinks “it would be difficult current quake restrictions was “absolutely no impact Energy Minister Claire
to see the industry develop as a factor. at the sorts of levels that Perry has noted they are
successfully with a 0.5 “We are a long way from have been recorded” at the set at a “cautious” level
operating limit.” getting to that point in our Lancashire site. and indicated they will be
Ineos is a petrochemicals development, probably at He said while he reviewed in the future.
company led by Jim least two years away, but was not confident the Environmental
Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest 0.5 will be a barrier,” he said. government would heed campaigners have
person, which owns fracking Cuadrilla, which remains this advice, the company expressed strong concerns
rights for large areas of the only company currently would continue investing not only about minor
northern England. engaged in UK fracking, has in potential sites as he was earthquakes linked with
Despite pledging to invest recorded six tremors that confident the UK would fracking, but also the
exceed the legal limit since one day need shale gas. implications of investing in
Tom Crotty, Ineos it began operating near “Whether we develop more carbon-emitting fossil
Blackpool in October. these resources now or fuel technologies.
In December, it was whether we sit… and While ministers insist that
struck by a magnitude 1.5 develop them at some shale gas will be an essential
event – the largest so far. point in the future, we have fuel in the transition to
Though the company has a very strong belief that greener energy sources,
reported that it successfully these resources will be critics say establishing a
extracted some shale gas at required,” he said. fracking industry in the UK
the beginning of November, “The UK’s level of imports will lock the country into
its Chief Executive Francis of gas is going up each year long-term dependence on
Egan has proposed that and that’s not sustainable.” fossil fuels. ■

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News.indd 1 17/01/2019 12:34