We’ve compiled a list to show which companies have been granted oil and gas exploration licences and where they are.
The licences were confirmed by the Oil and Gas Authority today (17th December 2015) and cover England only.
Each licence is made up of blocks which are based on map squares. You can check the map for the block where you live or search by county/region.
The light green squares on the map are blocks announced on 18th August 2015 and the dark green are blocks announced on 17th December 2015. The light brown areas are already licenced.
Some of the blocks don’t exactly match with counties/region so apologies if we’ve assigned them to the wrong one.
Each block is linked to a page on our 14th Round portal. We’ll be updating these pages during the next few days.
Cheshire
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green on the map)
SJ56 INEOS, shale
SJ57 INEOS, shale
SJ64 IGas, shale
SJ65 IGas, shale
SJ66 INEOS, shale
SJ67 INEOS, shale
SJ75 IGas, shale
SJ76 IGas, shale
SJ77 INEOS, shale
SJ78 INEOS, shale
SJ84c Norfros, coal bed methane
East midlands and South Yorkshire
Awarded 18th August 2015 (light green)
SK43 Warwick, shale
SK45 INEOS, shale
SK48 INEOS, shale
SK49 IGas, shale
SK52 Egdon, shale
SK53 Egdon, shale
SK58 INEOS, shale
SK72 Hutton, conventional
SK86c ADM, conventional
SK87b Blackland Park, conventional
SK87c IGas, shale
SK88b IGas, shale
SK89e IGas, shale
SK96 ADM, conventional
SK99a IGas, conventional
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green).
SK29 Warwick, shale
SK36 INEOS, shale
SK37 INEOS, shale
SK38 INEOS, shale
SK39 INEOS, shale
SK46c INEOS, shale
SK47b INEOS, shale
SK55 INEOS, shale
SK56i INEOS, shale
SK57c INEOS, shale
SK59b IGas, shale
SK66b INEOS, shale
SK66c INEOS, shale
SK67a INEOS, shale
SK76b Blackland Park, conventional
Lancashire
Awarded 18th August 2015 (light green)
SD61 Osprey, shale
SD62 Aurora, shale
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green)
SD17 Reach, shale
SD20 Aurora, shale
SD21 Aurora, shale
SD26a Reach, shale
SD26b Reach, shale
SD40 Aurora, shale
SD45 Warwick, shale
SD50 Aurora, shale
SD55 Warwick, shale
SD60 Hutton, shale
SD63 Osprey, shale
SD70 Hutton, shale
SD71 Hutton, shale
SD72 Hutton conventional
SD73 Osprey, shale
SD81 Hutton, shale
SD83 Osprey, shale
Lincolnshire
Awarded 18th August 2015 (light green)
TF06 Cirque, conventional
TF07 (north and south) Cirque, conventional
TF17 Cirque, conventional
TF18 IGas, conventional
TF36 GDF, shale
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green)
TA30 Egdon, shale
TF38c Egdon, shale
TF39b Egdon, shale
TF46 GDF, shale
TF47 GDF shale
TF48b GDF, shale
TF56 GDF, shale
TF57 GDF, shale
Yorkshire, East, South and North
Awarded 18th August 2015 (light green)
SE40 Cuadrilla, shale
SE41 IGas, shale
SE42 Hutton, shale
SE95 Cuadrilla, shale
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green)
SE30b INEOS, shale
SE31c IGas, shale
SE32b Hutton, shale
SE50b Cuadrilla, shale
SE51b Celtique, shale
SE52 Alkane, vent
SE57 INEOS, shale
SE61d Alkane, vent
SE65 INEOS, shale
SE66 INEOS, shale
SE67a INEOS, shale
SE68b INEOS, shale
SE69 INEOS, shale
SE72 Europa, shale
SE73 Europa, shale
SE74 Cuadrilla, shale
SE75 Cuadrilla, shale
SE76 INEOS, shale
SE77e INEOS, shale
SE78f INEOS, shale
SE79 INEOS, shale
SE84 Cuadrilla, shale
SE85 Cuadrilla, shale
SE86b INEOS, shale
SE87b Cuadrilla, shale
SE87e INEOS, shale
SE88c Cuadrilla, shale
SE96a INEOS, shale
SE97a Cuadrilla, shale
SE97c INEOS, shale
SE98c Cuadrilla, shale
SE99a Third Energy, shale
TA05 Cuadrilla, shale
TA06b INEOS, shale
TA07a Cuadrilla, shale
TA08 Cuadrilla, shale
TA09 Third Energy
TA15 Cuadrilla, shale
TA16 Cuadrilla, shale
TA17 Cuadrilla, shale
TA18 Cuadrilla, shale
South
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green)
SU34b Cirque, conventional
SU44 Cirque, conventional
SU81 IGas, conventional
SU90a IGas, conventional
SZ38a Angus, conventional
SZ47 Angus, conventional
SZ48 Angus, conventional
SZ57 Angus, conventional
SZ58 Angus, conventional
TQ34d IGas, conventional
South West
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green)
SO50 South Western, coal bed methane
SO51 South Western, coal bed methane
SO60a South Western, coal bed methane
SO60b South Western, coal bed methane
SO61 South Western, coal bed methane
ST04 South Western, shale
ST14 South Western, shale
ST24 South Western, shale
ST25 South Western, shale
ST34 South Western, shale
ST35 South Western, shale
ST36 South Western, shale
ST84 South Western, coal bed methane
ST85 South Western, coal bed methane
ST94 South Western, coal bed methane
ST95 South Western, coal bed methane
SY79a South Western, shale
SY88d South Western, shale
SY89b South Western, shale
SY97b Perenco, conventional
SY98c Perenco, conventional
SY99 South Western, shale
SZ07 Infrastrata, conventional
SZ08c Infrastrata, conventional
SZ09a South Western, shale
Teeside
Awarded 17th December 2015 (dark green)
NZ51 Third Energy, shale
NZ52b Third Energy, shale
NZ52c Third Energy, shale
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
You Legends! Such speed and efficiency.
Although, I don’t think that SO50 – SO61 is in the SW. The Forest of Dean is not seen as SW. Only south of Bristol is SW.
As far as I can see on your list of south west, the first one that is Actually in the SW is ST04.
Great to see Tim’s research from FFCV mentioned, thanks. Please can you stick a link to us in there too?
http://www.frackfreesomerset.org/maps-of-proposed-14th-round-licences-in-somerset/
Will see if anyone can update the FFS website. We linked to drill or drop in this weeks FFS newsletter….
ST36 – you have put: Operator not yet announced, yet this DECC map says it’s our friend Gerwyn Williams, man of many companies….
https://decc-edu.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=29c31fa4b00248418e545d222e57ddaa14th Round Block Offered For Award
Block Ref ST36
Operator SOUTH WESTERN
Partners SOUTH WESTERN ENERGY LIMITED
Contact Mr Gerwyn Williams
Address Unit 9 Bridgend Gusiness Center, Bridgend, CF31 3SH
e-mail glw@ukongas.com
Thanks,
Louise – FFS
PS Got sent this handy link of yesterdays votes earlier today: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=1A85B97BD3407998%216455&ithint=file%2Cxlsx&app=Excel&authkey=%21AA4COBusDF-cVjk
Hi Louise
Very fair point on the regions. Will refine this in the days to come. Thanks very much for the links. They’ll be very useful.
Best wishes, Ruth
I hope Kevin Hollinrake is proud of his actions and his vote yesterday – and of how he sold his constituency to the gas companies. How he has ignored his constituents views and underrepresented us every step of the way. There are a lot of very angry people in Ryedale and the rest of your constituency
today Mr Hollinrake. Shame on you and this government. And a message for Ineos – the fight starts now and we are not going away.
Have to say KT after a day in Wetherby, West Yorks border North Yorks, and running out of campaign leaflets greedily snatched from our hands, it was amazing how hungry people are to sign up to anti frack anything and KM8 Ryedale frack free business campaign. So don’t get too despondent yet. People in Yorkshire are so desperate to ignore the War of the Roses, and are angry about mass water pollution, they are so desperate to get together and see off the Vikiing/Third Energy et al raids and invasions.
Osborne has seen nothing yet. We’re just breast feeding till we get him weaned onto the solid stuff……well you do have to be gentle with these poor folk from London…………………………………….
Hollingrake, as with a few others, will soon be thrown out with the nappy disposal…..
Have to say KT after a day in Wetherby, West Yorks border North Yorks, and running out of campaign leaflets greedily snatched from our hands, it was amazing how hungry people are to sign up to anti frack anything and KM8 Ryedale frack free business campaign. So don’t get too despondent yet. People in Yorkshire are so desperate to ignore the War of the Roses, and are angry about mass water pollution, they are so desperate to get together and see off the Vikiing/Third Energy et al raids and invasions.
This is really helpful – thank you to those who have compiled this information! I would only suggest that you use slightly stronger colours as I’m having difficulty making out the lighter green and brown on the bigger map.
Thanks Tamsin, that’s really helpful to know. We’ll be working on some new maps which will show which companies have what squares. We’ll make sure the colours are very different. Best wishes, Ruth
Hi first of all thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication. Secondly. ..please could you add east and north Yorkshire! Xx
Love it, look at all those beautiful grip maps! All ready to explore our God given resources beneath our very own Feet. It’s the only way forward to be rid of coal,and have a balance till we find the right renewables that are economically viable. Trust me,I’m all for solar,wind etc,but we can’t just completely stop using fossils fuels on a pin head,its going to take generations to break away from that mold. Gas,has to,and will be part of our generation to come. The carbon footprint of importing our own gas to heat our templed bodies is far greater than it would be to get it from under our sovereignty. Jobs will be created,yes,tax replaced from the diminishing north sea oil industry must be replaced,local communities will prosper,and they must be educated to real views of shale. I don’t care if communities are pissed off about it,and crusty environmentalists go banging on about it thinking its a bad idea.I believe they are wrong. I’ve had to put up with a power station and new housing being built next to my private land, I don’t object,people need jobs,governments need taxes,Britain needs Shale. To those that object to Shale,then let’s carry on buying our gas from the middle East where they found people who take heads off and treat women like dogs,or do we buy from Russia where Mr Vlad Putin believes Sepp Blatter should receive the Nobel Peace prize. Just have a think about that,because they are the places we currently import our Gas from.
I know what I would rather want! What do you want?
Like it or not,the government has just voted with a majority to frack. Of course there will be protests,that’s your right,but its also peoples right to secure a future home grown energy source to stop the old and vulnerable from freezing to death each winter.Last year,8000 old age pensioners died because they couldn’t afford heating themselves. Apparently that was a low numbered year as it was a mild winter,food for thought.
I for one will embrace the Fraccing industry,and look forward to the many opportunities it will create. Good luck all,and here’s to getting away from Russia and the Terrorism of the Middle East. Ching ching.
Roy, a clarification – I don’t think the UK imports much gas from Russia. Imports mostly come from Qatar and Norway. Just over 40% of our gas in 2014 was from the UK (offshore).
For maps (I’m not saying that drill or drop are not accurate, I don’t know) go to:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-licensing-rounds#th-landward-licensing-round
Merthane when burned creates 40% more carbon dioxide than fossil fuels and is not good for people that have breathing difficulties OR GLOBAL WARMING ,north Lincs where I live gets ALL of its water from Bore holes and if the aquifiers get poisioned with the Methanol that is used for fracking can the oil companies still provide us with drinking water and in addition our wild life will suffer by drinking the water that will be stored in Lagoons built to recieve used water ,I CARE FOR MY ENVIRONMENT THE PEOPLE AND ALSO THE WILD LIFE WE HAVE IN LINCOLNSHIRE
Watch the truth behind fracking – youtube film – and weep. This is not an interim measure- it will destroy our countryside. At the moment it also costs so much to extract it, that fracking companies in the US f are going bust owing billions. This is a huge fraud to extract money out of investors (pension funds) before the carbon bubble bursts. Look at “Winning the Carbon Wars” by Leggett. If they frack under you – you will know about it!
Nothing for SO region, so can’t see what the dark green around Gloucester area refers to.
Also if you want to see what the Operators committments are including if wells are to be fracked or not check out the spreadsheet 14th Onshore Licensing Round Offers by Operator (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 24.9KB) on the link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-licensing-rounds#th-landward-licensing-round
Mostly seismic only with very few wells confirmed to be fracked.
Really had to laugh at some of the comments being made in the media. “Industrialisation of the countryside”. What do they think the 400 foot high wind turbines are that are already blighting our landscape. Ironic that the greens who have supported wind farm development have opened the doors to fracking. Once the landscape is damaged it becomes degraded in planning terms and further development becomes easier.
“Planning terms” ha ha
The British Geological Survey (BGS) estimates there is about 1,400tn cubic feet of shale gas in the Bowland Basin in the north of England and the Midland valley in Scotland.
This is enough to meet UK gas demand for more than 400 years based on current consumption. Obviously it is not all recoverable, but we need to be as energy self-sufficient as possible. We and our children live in the real world, not fairy dairy land.
Unfortunately there is no such thing as energy self-sufficiency as long as we’re part of the EU. Any energy created will go into the EU grid. Anyone believing what they’re told by industry or government are the ones living in lala land my friend. There isn’t a single argument for fracking that bears even brief scrutiny. Just read the frack free ryedale ‘myths about fracking’ and then tell me fracking is a good idea.
By the way, thanks for your work. Very good site.