Cuadrilla has been forced to suspend fracking at their Lancashire site after a 0.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded.

The British Geological Survey recorded the quake at around 11.30am today.

In a statement, Cuadrilla's spokesperson confirmed: "Cuadrilla was hydraulically fracturing the shale rock adjacent to a horizontal well at the time and the seismicity is classed as a red event in line with the traffic light monitoring system regulated by the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA)."

The spokesperson added: "Work will now pause for at least 18 hours and is expected to recommence in the morning."

Image: The site in Lancashire has sparked protests

During the 18-hour suspension, seismicity levels will continue to be measured.


Cuadrilla uses the OGA's "traffic light system" to help monitor and access tremors.

If an earthquake's magnitude is 0.5 or above, this is categorised as "red light" and means that work must be suspended immediately.

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A magnitude between 0 and 0.5 is an "amber light", meaning work can proceed but with "caution, possibly at reduced rates".

It will also cause a greater level of monitoring.

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"It is reassuring that the monitoring and traffic light system is working as it should," the Caudrilla spokesperson.

They added: "All the relevant regulators were informed without delay and we have verified that the well integrity is intact."

Hydraulically fracturing, or fracking, involves extracting gas from rocks by breaking them up with water and chemicals at high pressure.

Cuadrilla report the local magnitude of the quake was 0.76.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) records seismicity to one decimal place and therefore have recorded the event as 0.8.

Lawyers for the company told The Guardian it was incurring costs of £94,000 for every day it was prevented from fracking.

The northwest England site can only manage one frack a day at this stage.

The company, which was fracking at the time of the red event, told Sky News that if fracking resumes tomorrow "there would be no financial loss" as a result of the suspension.

Fracking can take place between 8am-6pm on Monday to Friday and between 9am-1pm on Saturday.

No fracking can occur on a Sunday.

The Preston New Road site in Lancashire is Cuadrilla's first exploration site on UK soil.

After experiencing disruption from bad weather and protests, work began at the site on 15 October.

Earlier this month, Sky News was invited to witness the two wells set to begin fracking.

The work was stalled when an emergency injunction was filed at the 11th hour by a local campaigner.

Last week, three anti-fracking activists jailed for a protest at the Lancashire site were freed by the Court of Appeal.

Image: (L-R) Rich Loizou, Simon Blevins and Richard Roberts

Soil scientist Simon Blevins, teacher Richard Roberts and piano restorer Rich Loizou were the first environmental protesters to be imprisoned since 1932.

The three men had climbed on to lorries outside energy firm Cuadrilla's fracking site in Little Plumpton in a protest which lasted almost 100 hours in July.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said the jail sentences handed to the men for causing a public nuisance were "manifestly excessive".