Fracking “not a significant” cause of large earthquakes

Fracking is not a significant cause of large earthquakes, a new report claims.

A study published in Marine and Petroleum Geology states the extraction of shale gas causes no more seismic activity than a man jumping off a ladder.

The research “established beyond doubt” that fracking can reactivate dormant geological faults, but the resultant tremor is likely to be very small.

Professor Richard Davies of Durham University’s Energy Institute said the largest fracking earthquake was recorded at 3.7 on the Richter scale, while the largest in the UK was only 2.3 and equivalent to “the impact caused by dropping a bottle of milk”.

In comparison, other human actions, such as mining activities, can cause tremors of up to 5.6 on the Richter scale.

Davies said: “In almost all cases, the seismic events caused by hydraulic fracturing have been undetectable other than by geoscientists.

He added: “It is extremely unlikely that any of us will ever be able to feel an earthquake caused by fracking.”

Davies also said that fracking will not allow gas to leak into aquifers underground, contaminating water, but he did say there is a long term risk of the wells leaking and polluting ground water.

Anti-shale gas campaign group, Frack Off, said the report “carefully avoids all the real issues”, adding that other issues surrounding fracking include leaking methane, water contamination, air pollution, well blowouts, pipeline explosions and road traffic.