After careful consideration and scrutiny of the technical legislative requirements, Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry has given Hydraulic Fracturing Consent under section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 (inserted by section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015) to shale gas operator Cuadrilla Bowland Ltd for the horizontal well, number ‘PNR-1z’, at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire.
In response to the approval for a second well at the Preston New Road site, CNBC reports Cuadrilla has begun preparatory work "in readiness to start hydraulically fracturing both wells in the next few weeks."
Previous fracking in the Blackpool area triggered an earth tremor 2.3 on the Richter scale leading to a temporary ban whilst further research was conducted. It is hoped that improved monitoring and regulation will be sufficient to manage future risks of tremors as well as threats to ground water.