An earthquake measuring 2.8 magnitude occurred in the North Sea yesterday – about 20 miles from a gas platform.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) recorded the quake at 11.09am about 160 miles east of Aberdeen.
The organisation said the North Sea was an active area for earthquakes and the event would have been significant if it had occurred on land.
The Lomond gas platform was the nearest installation to the tremor but the BGS said it had no reports of workers feeling it.
A 4.2-magnitude quake occurred in May 2001 and it was felt by workers on a platform in the Ekofisk oil field. The largest known British earthquake struck near the Dogger Bank in the North Sea off the east coast of England in 1931. It had a magnitude of 6.1.
The largest known Scottish earthquake on land occurred near Loch Awe in 1880, with a magnitude of 5.2.
There are 200-300 quakes in Britain every year, but the vast majority are so small that no one notices them.
However, between 20 and 30 are over a magnitude of 2, which can be felt over a wider area.
Just two weeks ago, an earthquake measuring 2.4 struck near Drumnadrochit – sparking phone calls from worried residents up to 15 miles away from the epicentre.
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