Cuadrilla restores Grange Hill site

Fracking firm Cuadrilla has restored its Grange Hill shale gas exploration site, near Singleton, to its pre-exploration use as agricultural land.

Cuadrilla moved equipment on site during the summer to start the restoration work, which included decommissioning and plugging the well.

The exploratory well at Grange Hill was successfully drilled on the site by Cuadrilla in 2011 and rock samples and other measurements taken from the shale at that time.

Francis Egan, CEO of Cuadrilla, said: “We’re committed to Lancashire and as part of our exploration efforts in the County and this includes restoring sites to their former pre-exploration use.

“The restoration works at Grange Hill are a fantastic example of how we return the land back to its original state after exploration. It is also the second restoration project to be completed by Cuadrilla this year, as we removed the wellhead and restored the former exploration site at Becconsall to its original ‘Greenfield’ status in August.” At Becconsall work began in April, as quickly as was feasible after the wintering bird season finished in March, to plug the exploration well and restore the land to its original state.