In yesterday's "Material World", Prof. Ernie Rutter, co-author of the report into the recent Lancashire minor earthquakes, linked to hydraulic fracturing near Blackpool, said that several minor earthquakes a year could be expected in the area naturally. The science of hydraulic fracturing, which has been used in the oil industry for many years to increase the productivity of ageing wells, was well known. All that Cuadrilla's activities did was to induce tremors which would occur in the natural order of events.
However, on the same programme, Prof. Stuart Haszeldine sounded a warning that the Blackpool tremors, although minor and not causing any damage, were greater than would have been expected.
It seems to me that the precautionary principle should apply here.
There are previous posts here and here.
1 comment:
Nice item Frank
Since the St John's Colliery site in Maesteg has been earmarked; and test drilling has already taken place it's good to notice that someone is aware of this, especially since Maesteg has been subject to recent earthquake activity (6th June 2009).
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