Analysis by DrillOrDrop reveals that the West Newton oil and gas field in East Yorkshire has seen more than 15 years of delays, missed deadlines and changing plans.

The field has been licensed during a period of UK government support for domestic production and above average oil prices.

Despite this, West Newton has seen no formal hydrocarbon extraction and it has faced problems, including permit breaches, formation damage, protests, a missed target reservoir and a shortage of money.

Last week, the industry regulator granted another extension, delaying the deadline to drill an exploration well by two years.

“Important strategic asset”

The West Newton licence, PEDL183, was issued nearly 16 years ago (July 2008), in a month when Brent crude, the UK benchmark oil price, reached an all-time high.

Planning permissions for the two sites, West Newton-A and B, were first granted in 2013 and 2015.

Since then, the operator, Rathlin Energy has drilled three wells and a sidetrack. But one well (WN-B1) had “insufficient reservoir development”, considered to mean it missed one of the target formations. Work on the sidetrack (WN-B1z) caused damage to the surrounding formation.

The field’s focus has switched from gas to oil and back again. Plans for an additional two sites, West Newton-C and West Newton-D, each with four wells, have apparently been abandoned. Ambitious proposals to expand West Newton-A also seem to be on hold for the time being.

The largest investor in West Newton described it as “an important strategic asset” and “potentially one of the largest hydrocarbon fields discovered onshore UK”.

But consent for exploration at West Newton-A had to be extended twice, in 2015 and 2018. It is now more than two years since the site got planning permission for long-term production.

At West Newton-B, planning permission for exploration was extended by three years in 2022 and plans for a new well have been delayed three times. In February 2024, investors revealed that new drilling at West Newton-B would have to wait again, until after a new well has been drilled at West Newton-A.

West Newton timeline

1 July 2008

Start date of West Newton licence, PEDL183. Average Brent crude oil price in July reaches all time peak of $147.50 a barrel.

17 January 2013

First planning permission granted for West Newton-A.

March 2013

Site construction begins at West Newton-A.

27 June 2013

West Newton-A1 well spudded.

September 2013

Drilling completed of well at West Newton-A1.

July 2014

Well test begins at West Newton-A1

November 2014

Well testing completed on West Newton-A1

19 February 2015

Investigation underway into permit breaches at West Newton-A drill site. Details

4 June 2015

Planning permission granted for drilling, testing and site construction at West Newton-B. Details 

5 October 2015

Rathlin Energy describes West Newton-A gas discovery as “very encouraging” Details

26 November 2015

Planning permission for West Newton-A extended for another 36 months. Details

30 June 2016

End of initial term (exploration) of West Newton licence, PEDL183.

2 August 2016

Environment Agency issues environmental permit for two exploratory wells at West Newton-B. Details

6 December 2017

Rathlin Energy says work on West Newton-B access road due to finish by the end of March 2018. Details

4 September 2018

Rathlin Energy applies for another 36-month extension  at West Newton-A. Details

6 November 2018

Rathlin Energy delays West Newton-B drilling:

“Whilst Rathlin continues to believe that West Newton-B represents a very good and viable site, after further evaluation, it has determined that the merits of drilling the second well from West Newton-A are significant and represent the best option to move the project forward. Details

15 November 2018

Planning permission granted for second 36-month extension at West Newton-A. Details

30 November 2018

Rathlin announces start date for work on West Newton-A2. Details

8 January 2019

Conductor rig for West Newton-A2 installed. Details

8 April 2019

Lorry protest as rig is delivered to West Newton-A. Details

10 April 2019

8-hour lock on protest at West Newton-A. Details

13 April 2019

Rathlin Energy suspends operations at West Newton-A pending the arrival of additional equipment. Details

26 April 2019

West Newton A-2 well spudded at 1.45am. Details

26 June 2019

Rig leaves West Newton-A. Details

30 June 2019

End of second term (appraisal) of West Newton licence, PEDL183

12 August 2019

Rathlin Energy mobilises equipment to West Newton-A2 well. Details Deliveries delayed by a lorry surfing protest.

22 August 2019

West Newton-A2 well test begins. Complaints about smell. Details

29 August 2019

Rathlin Energy confirms suspension of West Newton-A2 well test following oil find. Details

11 November 2019

Focus at West Newton-A switches officially from gas to oil. Details

20 February 2020

Revised well test plan submitted for West Newton A. Details

2 March 2020

Bid published to change permit for West Newton-A well test. Details

15 April 2020

Site work starts at West Newton-B. Details

27 April 2020

West Newton-A permit changes approved. Details

4 May 2020

Access work begins at West Newton-B. Details

4 October 2020

Drilling begins on West Newton-B1 well. Details

14 October 2020

Rathlin Energy reveals details of two new sites at West Newton. Details

23 November 2020

West Newton-B1 well’s secondary target – the Cadeby formation – shows “insufficient reservoir development”. Sidetrack drilling begins. Details

3 December 2020

Officials give Rathlin Energy extra time for drilling at West Newton-B. Details

10 December 2020

Sidetrack drilling at West Newton-B (WNB-1z) “exceeds expectations with substantial hydrocarbon accumulation” says investor. Details

22 January 2021

Rathlin Energy reveals plans for six new wells at West Newton A and 20 years of production. Details

26 January 2021

West Newton-A expansion: Report discloses plans for 90 weeks of drilling. Details

28 January 2021

Investors report new well at West Newton-B due in second half of 2021 and testing of WNB-1z due in first quarter of 2021. Details

1 March 2021

Local government secretary asked to rule on whether West Newton-A expansion and production plans need an environmental impact assessment. Details

9 April 2021

Evaluation of West Newton-B site underway. Details

20 May 2021

Delay to ministerial ruling on environmental impact assessment for West Newton-A expansion. Details

24 May 2021

Equipment mobilised for West Newton-B1z well test. Details

13 July 2021

West Newton-A expansion application published. Details

31 August 2021

Formation damage reported at West Newton-B1z well. Details

30 September 2021

Breaking: councillors reject expansion plans for West Newton-A. Details

25 November 2021

Rathlin Energy seeks environmental consent for West Newton oil production. Details

3 December 2021

Details revealed of Rathlin Energy’s scaled-back expansion plans at West Newton-A. Details

6 January 2022

Revised production plans published for West Newton-A oil and gas site – what’s different? Details

24 February 2022

Russia invades part of Ukraine leading to record high wholesale gas prices. Detail

17 March 2022

20 years of oil production approved at West Newton-A. Details  Campaigners seek review of decision. Details

Planning permission issued for three more years at West Newton-B. Details

27 March 2021

Councillor asks minister to review West Newton-A production plans. Details

21 June 2022

Investors say first new wells at West Newton gasfield could be drilled within months. Rathlin Energy says the first well is likely to be drilled at West Newton-B. Details

15 December 2022

Minister refuses to revoke consent for West Newton-A expansion plans. Details

4 April 2023

Government publishes energy security plan, prioritising domestic supplies. Details

28 April 2023

Rathlin Energy says work on second well at West Newton-B will start in autumn 2023. Details

24 August 2023

Environment Agency gives formal consent for oil and gas production at expanded West Newton-A wellsite. Details

29 August 2023

New West Newton-B well postponed for the third time – now planned for 2024. Details

28 September 2023

Rathlin Energy reveals it needs more money for West Newton drilling commitments. Details

7 November 2023

UK Conservative government confirms plans to grant new North Sea oil and gas licences every year. Details

27 February 2024

Drilling plans at West Newton field downgraded – single new well planned at West Newton-A by end of 2024. Details

31 May 2024

Rathlin Energy fails to meet drilling commitments at West Newton field because of cash shortages. Details

13 June 2024

Regulator grants more time for drilling at West Newton field. Details

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