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The UK halts shale gas fracking over earthquakes concerns

The United Kingdom has decided to impose a moratorium on shale gas hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), amid fears about earthquakes. In August 2019, fracking at Cuadrilla Resources' Preston New Road site in Lancashire caused a 2.9 earth tremor, prompting the company to suspend operations. According to the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), further seismic activity could not be predicted. Consequently, no consent for fracking will be granted "until and unless" the industry can predict and control tremors and until fracking is proved safe.

This moratorium is a significant shift in the British shale policy, as domestic shale gas production was expected to cut the country's reliance on gas imports. Scotland suspended gas fracking in 2013 and the Scottish government recently confirmed a policy of "no support" for fracking. In Wales, the government introduced a moratorium on shale gas fracking in 2015. There is a planning presumption against fracking in Northern Ireland.

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