Drilling work at the Lower Stumble prospect at the West Sussex limestone play in southern England had been disrupted as campaigners opposed to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, staged a prolonged demonstration that saw one protester chain himself to the roof of a lorry to block the entrance to the site.
Cuadrilla’s exploration director Andrew Quarles on Monday hailed the “operational drilling success” of the well, saying it had confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons and that further testing would be required to determine flow rates.
“The
