A company using hydraulic fracturing to release gas from shale rock confirms that the controversial technique probably did trigger earth tremors in northwestern England in April and May.
Cuadrilla Resources said Wednesday that independent experts concluded that the tremors were due to an unusual combination of geology and operations and were unlikely to happen again.
The company said local geology would limit any future seismic events to around magnitude 3 on the Richter scale.
The tremor on April 1 measured 2.3 on the Richter scale.
Local campaigners have mounted a “Frack Off” campaign to oppose the drilling technique that cracks open rock layers to free natural gas.
I knew about the flammable water, but I had no idea that fracking could actually cause tremors that register on the Richter scale.
The more I hear about fracking, the more it upsets me that this is even considered to be a viable option in some places, especially from a geologic and environmental standpoint. There have been a grand total of ZERO long-term studies done on fracking. You’re injecting a slurry of strange chemicals into the ground to forcibly remove gas pockets for collection. There’s no extensive research on what these chemicals do to the groundwater, to the internal structure of the ground, nothing.
What there IS evidence of is, as Jonathan mentioned, flammable water, contaminants showing up in places they shouldn’t, and now - related tremors.