Fracking tests near Blackpool 'likely cause' of tremors

It is "highly probable" that shale gas test drilling triggered earth tremors in Lancashire, a study has found. But the report, commissioned by energy firm Cuadrilla, also said the quakes were due to an "unusual combination of geology at the well site". It said conditions which caused the minor earthquakes were "unlikely to occur again". Protesters against fracking, a gas extraction method, said the report "did not inspire confidence". Six protesters from campaign group Frack Off climbed a drilling rig at one of Cuadrilla's test drilling sites in Hesketh Bank, near Southport, ahead of the report. They are against fracking, a controversial extraction method which blasts water into rock to release shale gas, because they fear it is not safe. A spokesman for Lancashire Police said the force was "liaising with the site owners and the protesters to bring about a peaceful resolution Cuadrilla suspended its shale gas test drilling in June, over fears of links to the earthquakes. One tremor of magnitude 2.3 on the Richter scale hit Lancashire's Fylde coast on 1 April, followed by a second of magnitude 1.4 on 27 May. A study by The British Geological Survey placed the epicentre for each quake as being 500m away from the Preese Hall-1 well, which is between the villages of Singleton and Weeton, near Blackpool. The Geo-mechanical Study Of Bowland Shale Seismicity report said the combination of geological factors that caused the quakes was rare, and would be unlikely to occur together again at future well sites. It said: "If these factors were to combine again in the future local geology limits seismic events to around magnitude 3 on the Richter scale as a worst-case scenario. However, it said that "even the maximum seismic event is not expected to present a risk". Cuadrilla said the report would also be subject to peer review. A spokesman for Frack Off said: "This report does not inspire confidence, they should have done their research before drilling began."