Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has he made of the relative seismicity of geothermal energy extraction and shale gas extraction through fracking.

A 2012 Written Ministerial Statement outlined new requirements on fracking to mitigate the risks of seismic activity – the ‘traffic light system’. This statement acknowledged that the trigger levels set in this system were cautious and exceeded the control protocols in place for other industries such as geothermal energy, construction and quarrying. However, it was made clear that the reasons for this approach were specific and appropriate to the context of the nascent shale gas sector. It noted that trigger levels could be adjusted upwards as experience of fracking operations developed.

Following a seismic event of magnitude 2.9 at Preston New Road in 2019, the Government took a presumption against issuing further hydraulic fracturing consents. Seismic events induced by fracking had proved to be unpredictable in size, timing and frequency.

It remains the Government’s policy to be guided by the evidence and to minimise disturbance to those living and working nearby, and to prevent the risk of damage.