Shale gas exploration company Cuadrilla has breached environmental permits multiple times and failed to disclose full details of technical issues at its Lancashire site, a DeSmog UK investigation hasĀ found.
The company breached its environmental permits seven times in 10 months in 2017, analysis of Freedom of Information requests and publicly available Environment Agency Compliance Assessment ReportsĀ shows.
DeSmog UKās investigation also uncovered a survey commissioned by the company that identified faults with a protective membrane, despite the company telling local residents it had never neededĀ repairs.
British Geological Survey data also shows Cuadrilla experienced six tremors within eight days after it commenced fracking in October 2018. Fracking had to be halted for a second time after a magnitude 0.8 tremor onĀ Friday.
The investigation also revealed that the Environment Agency, which is tasked with ensuring the site operates within agreed environmental parameters, encountered problems with air pollution monitoring at the site due to faultyĀ equipment.
Campaigners told DeSmog UK that the findings gave them āno confidenceā that the government could implement promised Ā ārobustā regulations, as ministers seek to encourage fracking across theĀ country.
Academics told DeSmog UK that the findings show the need for Cuadrilla and regulatory authorities to share more information with independent experts to avoid speculation that the company is trying to hide unsafeĀ practices.
Cuadrilla told DeSmog UK that it acknowledged the āminorā breaches, but maintained its practices were safe for the environment. A spokesperson for the companyĀ said:
āWe accept there have been minor and non-significant breaches and these are already a matter of public record. It is important to note that Cuadrilla proactively reported to the Environment Agency in line with our permits. In all cases there was no negative impact on the environment and there has been no action against Cuadrilla by the EnvironmentĀ Agency.ā
Breaches
The Environment Agency reports state that the significance of the breaches DeSmog UK found ranged from ānot regarded as a serious issueā to issues where āimprovements are requiredā to comply with theĀ law.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency told DeSmog UK that to date it had issued Cuadrilla with warnings for five non-compliances at the site. DeSmog UK found evidence of seven breaches among the Environment Agencyās assessmentĀ reports.
The breaches relate to how Cuadrilla handles waste on site, manages water, and takes responsibility for waste once it has left theĀ site.Ā
Breach 1 | 02 March 2017 | Unpermitted release into a nearby Brook and āinadequateā managementĀ systems
The Environment Agency warn Cuadrilla over ātwo incidents involving the discharge of surface water containing siltā into the nearby Carr BridgeĀ Brook.
The first incident occurred on the 27 February 2017 and was caused by āa surface water managementĀ problemā.
The second incident was caused by an escape of silt-containing water from Cuadrillaās wellĀ pad.
The EA also warned Cuadrilla that its water management systems were found to be āinadequateā and required āimprovementā to prevent escaping water from causingĀ pollution.
Breach 2 & 3 | 14 June 2017 | Unpermitted discharge of ācontaminated surfaceĀ waterā
On the 14 June 2017, the Environment Agency inspected the Preston New Road well pad. During the site inspection, Cuadrilla informed the regulator of an unpermitted ādischarge of silt contaminated surface waterā from the frackingĀ site.
According to the Environment Agencyās report dated 6 October 2017, āthe escape of silt contaminated surface water had occurred through an electrical conduit inside an interceptorĀ chamberā.
The report also noted that the contaminated waste āspilled onto ground which spread across landā and eventually ended up draining into a nearby water tributary, the Carr BridgeĀ Brook.
The EA subsequently conducted its own tests and did not identify any pollution caused by this incident and concluded that āany impact on the tribuary (sic) of Carr Bridge Brook would have beenĀ minimalā.
Cuadrilla were warned for breaching two permit conditions: the first for failing to notify the regulator of the event and the second for the unpermittedĀ leak.
Breach 4 | 1 August 2017 | Failure to store wasteĀ correctly
On this occasion, the Environment Agency discovered the firm was failing to store its drilling waste correctly. Drilling cuttings are the waste dirt and broken bits of rock removed from a borehole as part of the underground drilling process, and may contain naturally occurring radiation andĀ chemicals.Ā
The inspection report notes that Cuadrilla was using standard metal skips to store the āspoiltā drilling waste. These, it found, were not āhydro tested for leaksā or āappropriately certified for integrityā as required under the agreed waste management plan, which classifies spoiled drilling waste asĀ hazardous.
This non-compliance, the EA warned, could āforeseeably result in a minor environmental effectā. āThis is not regarded as a significant issueā, the reportĀ states.
The Environment Agency ordered the firm to use the correct storage containers and conduct both weekly visual integrity checks and annual thicknessĀ testing.
Breach 5 & 6 | 23 November 2017 | Regarding site drainage and the prevention ofĀ emissions
These breaches were identified on an independent database. However, the Environment Agency is yet to release detailed assessment reports on the breaches. The only details available currently are that the breaches relate to criteria āB3 Infrastructure ā site drainage engineeringā and āB1 Infrastructure ā engineering for prevent ofĀ emissionsā.
Breach 7 | 7 December 2017 | Use of unpermitted site for storage of waste on at least 22Ā occasions
Cuadrilla broke the law and received a formal warning from the EA on the 25 JulyĀ 2018.
The warning letter outlined how Cuadrilla had not taken reasonable measures to prevent extractive waste being temporarily stored at an unpermittedĀ site.
It also stated that Cuadrilla had used non-unique consignment notes, providing incorrect name for the waste produce, incorrect consignee name, incomplete information about the wasteās relevant chemical components with their concentrations and wrong hazardĀ codes.
The 22 separate occasions that Cuadrilla stored waste at an unpermitted location were observed overĀ a period of three months between 7 March 2017 and 9 MarchĀ 2018.
The assessment report does note, however that the Environment Agency ācan conclude that overall waste drilling muds and cutting were treated and disposed in line with sound waste managementĀ practicesā.
The Environment Agency gave Cuadrilla notice that āfurther checks will be carried out within 3 weeksā to check the company had addressed theĀ issues.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency told DeSmog UK that āoil and gas operators must meet the highest environmental standards which are set out inĀ law.ā
The agency said minor non-compliances are not unusual after site inspections and audits, and that it works hard with developers to addressĀ these.
A spokesperson for Cuadrilla told DeSmog UK that it continued to work with the Environment Agency to ensure it complied with environmental standards. A spokespersonĀ said:
āIn terms of the specific breaches, they are publically reported by the EA.ā
āEarlier this year, the EA completed a comprehensive waste management audit which included the contributions made by our contractors and sub-contractors. The EA concluded that overall they were satisfied that the audited waste streams were removed from Preston New Road to appropriate waste facilities in line with good practice. We are confident that all waste streams have been treated and continue to be treated fully in accordance with the permits inĀ place.
āThe EA did note a number of minor non-compliance issues, although none impacted on how waste should have been or was treated. We have addressed theseĀ issues.ā
Faulty Air MonitoringĀ Equipment
The Environment Agency has had some problems monitoring all aspects of the site,Ā however.
The Environment Agency deployed a āmobile monitoring facility (MMF)ā to Cuadrillaās Preston New Road fracking site in August 2017 with the purpose of carrying out background level monitoring of different types ofĀ pollutants.
The regulator publishes the data from the MMF in a monthly air quality monitoring report. The September 2018 report notes numerous problems with the monitoringĀ equipment:
Date |
PollutantsĀ recorded |
Issue |
23 August 2018 ā 9 SeptemberĀ 2017 |
benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) |
No BTEX data recorded between these dates ādue to technical problems with theĀ instrumentā |
6 March 2018 ā 6 AprilĀ 2018 |
particulates (PM10) |
No data recorded between these dates. The measuring equipment was switched off ādue to complaints about noise coming from the monitoring stationā by a localĀ resident |
6 March 2018 ā 12 AprilĀ 2018 |
particulates (PM2.5) |
No data recorded between these dates. The measuring equipment was switched off ādue to complaints about noise coming from the monitoring stationā by a localĀ resident |
26 April 2018 ā 1 MayĀ 2018 |
Methane (CH4) |
No Methane data recorded between these dates ādue to technical problems with theĀ analyser.ā |
29 June 2018 ā 6 JulyĀ 2018 |
benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) |
No BTEX data recorded between these dates ādue to the instrument being removed forĀ servicingā |
The Environment Agency said equipment may occasionally be offline for routine maintenance orĀ repairs.
Membrane Defects
Cuadrilla also appears not to be disclosing the full details of some environmental issues at theĀ site.
A protective geomembrane layer helps to prevent contamination below the Preston New Road well pad. But a survey commissioned by Cuadrilla appears to identify defects with the layer ā contradicting statements made in public by theĀ company.
At a Community Liaison Group meeting between Cuadrilla and the local community held on September 10 2018, the companyās technical director Mark Lappin was questioned about the āintegrityā of the membrane layer. The meeting minutesĀ note:
āHas the existing membrane been replaced or āpatched upā? Mark Lappin explained that the integrity of the existing membrane remains and has not needed to be restored orĀ repaired.ā
A report sent by Cuadrilla to the Environment Agency seems to contradict Cuadrillaās statement,Ā however.
A redacted copy of a report titled āGeomembrane leak detection surveyā for the Preston New Road well pad, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, identified āfive defects in the liner systemā during a survey that took place between 20 June and 29 JulyĀ 2017.
The purpose of the report was to ālocate any damage to the placed geomembraneĀ linerā.Ā
The report is dated August 2017 was commissioned by Cuadrilla and emailed to the EA by Cuadrilla on the 7 SeptemberĀ 2017.
Professor Richard Davies, a petroleum geologist at Newcastle University, told DeSmog UK that the data was insufficient to show āwhether anything serious isĀ wrongā.
However, he said it did show that āmembranes arenāt a fail-safe mechanism for sealing the well-pad. Itās showing itās not a perfectĀ solution.ā
The defects were subsequently repaired byĀ Cuadrilla.
A spokesperson told DeSmog UK:
āThe geomembrane was tested in 2017 prior to drilling operations getting started. The test highlighted some minor repairs were required and these were carried out. It has maintained full integrity since that time including testingĀ post-drilling.ā
Tremors
Cuadrilla has had some well-publicised issues with small tremors since it started fracking in October 2018, including six tremors within the first nine days of fracking. On Friday, it halted fracking for a second time after a magnitude 0.8 tremor, which registers as a āred lightā on the governmentās traffic lightĀ system.
Red light tremors of 0.5 magnitude or above require the company to suspend frackingĀ immediately.
Records show that there have been multiple and frequent tremors since Cuadrilla startedĀ fracking.
Cuadrilla announced on the October 15 2018 that it had commenced with fracking at its Preston New Road well pad after a last-ditch injunction to stop the process had failed to halt theĀ operator.
By the October 18 2018, the British Geological Survey (BGS) picked up three small tremors within very close proximity of Cuadrillaās horizontally drilledĀ well.
The three seismic events ranged in magnitude from -0.2 to -0.8 ML.
At this strength Cuadrilla were still within the Oil and Gas authorityās (OGA) āgreenā zone on the seismicity traffic light system so fracking was allowed āproceed as plannedā.
Three more earthquakes followed on the 19, 20 and 23 October. The magnitude of the tremors increased up to 0.4ML and into āAmberā zone on the traffic light system, resulting in Cuadrilla having to āproceed with cautionā. The tremor that occurred on the October 19 2018 was registered by the BGS only 15 minutes after a frack test had been completed byĀ Cuadrilla.
The largest of the six tremors occurred on the 23 October 2018 at 2.45pm while Cuadrilla were actively fracking at PNR. Cuadrilla noted;
āThe highly sensitive monitoring systems at and around Cuadrillaās shale gas exploration site in Preston New Road have detected a seismic event within the companyās operational area (approx 4.8km3) of 0.4ML (Local Magnitude) this afternoon while hydraulic fracturing operations wereĀ ongoing.ā
As a result of the Amber warning quake being registered, Cuadrilla took the decision to suspend operations for theĀ day.
Date |
Time (UTC) |
Magnitude |
Region |
23/10/18 |
14:45:32.5 |
0.4 |
Blackpool,Ā Lancashire |
20/10/18 |
03:44:01.4 |
0.0 |
Blackpool,Ā Lancashire |
19/10/18 |
13:20:48.5 |
0.3 |
Blackpool,Ā Lancashire |
18/10/18 |
23:44:41.9 |
-0.3 |
Blackpool,Ā Lancashire |
18/10/18 |
22:54:46.8 |
-0.8 |
Blackpool,Ā Lancashire |
18/10/18 |
15:48:53.6 |
-0.2 |
Blackpool,Ā Lancashire |
Source:Ā earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk
Professor David Smythe, a geologist and Emeritus Professor of the University of Glasgow, who is a prominent critic of the fracking industry, told DeSmog UK:
āIt is normal for all these tiny tremors to be recorded, if a dedicated temporary seismic array is in place, as it is at Preston NewĀ Road.ā
āEarthquakes below magnitude of two are not normally felt by humans, and are unlikely to cause any surface damage. Each increase of one unit on the scale means about 30 times more energy isĀ released.ā
āIt is difficult to convert a given magnitude into damage or noise, because it depends on how deep the earthquake is. But in round terms, tremors of under a magnitude of three in the Fylde might be felt (as in a heavy lorry going past your door), but will not doĀ damage.ā
However, Smythe has previously expressed concerns that āeven after nine years in the Fylde, to understand theĀ geologyā.
āThe problem for Cuadrilla is that if it now carries on regardless after just five daysā fracking, bigger earthquakes are likely to beĀ triggeredā.
Smythe says he is concerned that the āstrong impression is that Cuadrilla is once again trying to hide its own technicalĀ incompetenceā.
Itās a viewed shared by local campaigners, who have been fighting the development forĀ years.
Miranda Cox, a local councillor and prominent anti-fracking campaigner, who sits on the Community Liaison Group, told DeSmog UK she was āfrustrated withĀ communicationā.
āDissemination of information can be shrouded in industry language and is at times, obtuse. Questions are asked of Cuadrilla and the regulators regarding breaches and other issues; frequently these areĀ deferred.ā
āPublic scrutiny of the site and regulators is keeping the focus on lapses of safety and good practice. The authorities whose remit is to keep us safe, are under-resourced andĀ understaffed.ā
āThe number of issues encountered so far at this one site is indicative of what is to come. If this industry is to become commercially viable and is rolled out across the country, I have absolutely no confidence that the ārobust regulationsā promised will everĀ emerge.ā
Cuadrilla said it was aware of the tremors, and that these were to be expected. A spokespersonĀ said:
āOf course we are aware of the series of tiny micro seismic events which have been recorded by the British Geological Survey (BGS) since we began hydraulic fracturing operations on OctoberĀ 15.ā
āCuadrilla and all the regulators working with us at the exploration site at Preston New Road were expecting micro seismicity to occur as we are hydraulically fracturing shale rock. These events are tiny movements being detected by sophisticated monitoring equipment around theĀ clock.
āEverything is working as it should and being reported appropriately as part of the Oil and Gas Authorityās traffic light system. Weāre comfortable that these micro-seismic events, even the one recorded on Friday, are far below anything that could be felt at surface or cause damage orĀ harm.ā
Newcastle Universityās Professor Davies said Cuadrilla needs to share as much data as possible if it is to overcome speculation about the safety of its activities. He told DeSmog UK his research group was being ākept one step away fromĀ itā.
āWeāre not getting enough information to be able to fully assess the impacts of frackingā, heĀ said.
āThe bottom line is weāre getting quite a lot of information. And itās difficult to work out what is important and what isnāt. So there areĀ risks.ā
āIs this leakage tiny and doesnāt contain any toxic materials, or is it more significant than that? We just donātĀ know.ā
āItās pretty obvious from the US example that where thereās a lack of information it leads to suspicion and a lack of trust. And I think a lot of the issues around fracking are related to a lack ofĀ trust.ā
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