Fracking firm Cuadrilla says earthquake rules hinder its work

Shale gas firm calls for lighter regulation as it reveals only 5% of Blackpool well is fracked

The shale gas firm Cuadrilla has said commercial fracking cannot go ahead in the UK unless rules on minor earthquakes are relaxed, after admitting it had only been able to frack a tiny section of its gas well near Blackpool because of seismicity regulations.

The company became the first to frack in the UK for years when it started operations last October at its Preston New Road site but was repeatedly forced to pause work for causing tremors that breached a 0.5-magnitude limit.