Horizontal drilling comes to the UK, but fracking must wait
Pioneering driller Cuadrilla is optimistic over shale gas well prospects
Cuadrilla Resources says it has moved closer towards launching the UK's first major fracking project by drilling the country's first ever horizontal shale gas well at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire, north-west England. The company hasn't been cleared to carry out hydraulic fracturing, which has been halted in the UK since earth tremors were recorded during tests at another Cuadrilla site in 2011. However, the company is optimistic that it will be cleared to frack in the near future, both in this well and another it plans to drill now. The company, which says it has permission to drill four wells in all on the site, has drilled its first horizontal well through the Lower Bowland sh
Also in this section
19 March 2026
The regional crisis highlights the undervalued role of fixed pipelines in the age of tanker flexibility
18 March 2026
Rising LNG exports and AI-driven power demand have raised concerns that US gas prices could climb sharply, but analysts say abundant shale supply and continued productivity gains should keep Henry Hub within a range that preserves the competitiveness of US LNG
18 March 2026
Risks of shortages in oil products may cause world leaders to panic and make mistakes instead of letting the market do what it does best
17 March 2026
The crisis in the Middle East has put LNG’s ability to offer security and flexibility under uncomfortable scrutiny
