A public consultation is underway into IGas’s application for an environmental permit to drill for shale gas at a site at Misson in north Nottinghamshire.

But a decision on the planning application for the scheme to drill two exploratory wells at land off Springs Road faces a delay.

The Environment Agency (EA) announced today that IGas had applied for a mining waste permit, where the company wants to drill a vertical and horizontal borehole. The consultation runs until Tuesday 8^th March 2016.

Also today, Nottingham County Council confirmed that it would be asking IGas for more information on its planning application. When the information has been supplied the council will begin another public consultation. A council spokesperson agreed that a decision on the planning application was now unlikely to be made until at least March, if not later.

Permit consultation

As part of the enviornmental permit consultation, the EA is running a public information session in Misson on Friday 12^th February. The event is from 2pm-6.30pm at Misson Community Centre, Vicar Lane, Misson, Doncaster DN10 6EG. The EA said the aim of the session was to explain the EA’s role in onshore oil and gas regulation.

Andy Barker, the EA’s Project Manager for Onshore Oil and Gas in Nottinghamshire, said:

“Our regulatory controls for onshore oil and gas are in place to protect people and the environment. We will assess the company’s proposals to ensure they meet our strict requirements.”

“As part of our assessment, we welcome comments from the public and interested groups on local environmental factors that may be important.”

According to the permit application, the vertical well would be dug to a depth of 3,500m into the Carboniferous Limestone Supergroup.

The second well would initially be drilled vertically to a depth of 4,350m. It would then deviate so that it becomes horizontal for up to 1,500m in the Bowland shale.

Permit number: EA/EPR/DB3400TG/A001

Link to consultation documents

Planning application

The planning application for the exploration boreholes, which does not include fracking, was submitted in October 2015. The first consultation was extended until 23^rd December 2015. The second consultation is likely to be for at least 21 days.

Exploration boreholes planning application number: ES/3379

Link to planning application documents

Groundwater monitoring

Last week, Nottinghamshire County Council approved a separate planning application for up to 12 groundwater monitoring boreholes at the Springs Road site (19/1/16). DrillOrDrop report

Yesterday, the company began moving equipment on to the site. DrillOrDrop report

This report is part of DrillOrDrop’s Rig Watch project. Rig Watch receives funding from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust. More details here