A new study by UCL researchers suggests that oil production at Horse Hill well may have triggered a series of over 100 small earthquakes in Surrey during 2018 and 2019.
Monitoring by seismologists plotted the epicentres between Newdigate and Charlwood, just 3km from the Horse Hill drill site and 8km from Brockham.
The earthquakes caused injury and damage to property with some residents feeling impacts over 10km away. There were reports of loud bangs and shaking, with many thinking a plane or lorry had crashed nearby.
Increased pressure at depth resulting from fluid injection during oil production can trigger slip on pre-existing, already-stressed faults and is well documented in the United States. This is the first such study linking the earthquakes to UKOG’s production at Horse Hill.
Campaigners from the Weald Action Group have long warned that seismicity is one of the negative repercussions of oil production. “The intense pressure involved in fossil fuel production can pose significant risks, causing structural damage above ground and potentially contaminating water sources underground. These operations involve tonnes of highly toxic chemicals and hydrocarbons which can be dangerous to the environment and human health.”
BBC News: Earthquakes may be linked to drilling say experts
Link to study: Geological Magazine: Were the Newdigate Earthquakes, Southern England, of 2018–2019 triggered by oil extraction?
Background:Background from the Weald Action Group