Cuadrilla has paused fracking operations at its Preston New Road site near Blackpool after an earth tremor was detected last night.
The shutdown was sparked by a micro seismic event measuring 1.55 on the Richter scale - and it comes less than a week after the company started fracking its second well on the site.
The company had to repeatedly stop operations at Preston New Road last year under regulation systems which immediately suspend work if seismic activity of magnitude 0.5 or above is detected.
A spokesman for Cuadrilla said: “We can confirm that a micro seismic event measuring 1.55ML (local magnitude) on the Richter scale occurred after we had completed the hydraulic fracturing programme for the day at our Preston New Road site. Most local people will not have felt it due to its small size.
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