Views are being sought on applications for environmental permits at 15 established oil and gas sites across the UK.
Six of the sites are operated by IGas, five by Third Energy, two by Europa Oil & Gas and one each by Blackland Park and Kimmeridge Oil & Gas (a subsidiary of UK Oil and Gas Investments plc).
Five are in North Yorkshire, four in Lincolnshire and two in Hampshire. The others are in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Surrey and West Sussex.
Since 1 October 2013, new onshore oil and gas facilities required environment permits for:
- Mining waste
- Flaring of waste gas (with a capacity for 10+tonnes/day)
- Water discharge
- Groundwater activity, including fracking
- Radioactive waste
At the time, existing facilities needed only permits for crude oil unloading, handling, storage or treatment.
But in April 2016, an Environment Agency position statement said existing oil and gas facilities also needed permits for the five additional operations.
The Environment Agency said it intended to invite applications for new permits from operators of existing onshore oil and gas facilities that did not previously require to be permitted.
It expected the project would run until March 2018. In the meantime, it would not take enforcement action against operators for not having the necessary permits provided they met conditions in the position statement.
Doe Green, a former IGas site at Warrington, now operated by INEOS Shale, is currently going through the application process. Details
Hampshire
Operator: IGas
Address: Horndean B, C and X well sites, Sheepwash Road, Horndean, Hampshire PO8 0DS
Application number: EPR/GP3231CJ/V002
Facility type: Gasification, liquefaction and refining
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Guildbourne House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing BN11 1LD
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 13 March 2017
Link
Operator: IGas
Address: Goodworth Clatford Oilfield, Romsey Road, Goodworth Clatford, Andover SP11 7HP
Application number: EPR/KP3931CV/V002
Facility type: Loadin/storage/treatment of crude oil
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Guildbourne House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing BN11 1LD
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 15 March 2017
Link
Leicestershire
Operator: IGas
Address: Long Clawson Oilfield, Melton Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 4NT
Application number: EPR/UP3131CH/V002
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Trentside Offices, Trentside North, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FA
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 13 March 2017
Link
Lincolnshire
Operator: Europa Oil & Gas
Address: Crosby Warren Wellsite, Dawes Lane, Scunthorpe Lincolnshire DN15 0RA
Application number: EPR/GP3635MP/V003
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Trentside Offices, Trentside North, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FA
hone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 28 February 2017
Link
Operator: IGas
Address: Stainton oil well, Stainton-by-Langworth, Stainton, Lincoln LN3 5BN
Application number: EPR/LP3031CQ/V002
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Waterside House, Waterside North, Lincoln LN2 5HA
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 13 March 2017
Link
Operator: Europa Oil & Gas
Address: West Firsby Wellsite, Cliff Road, Spridlington, Lincolnshire LN8 2DN
Application number: EPR/ZP3838RH/V002
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Waterside House, Waterside North, Lincoln LN2 5HA
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 28 February 2017
Link
Operator: Blackland Park Exploration
Address: Whisby A Site, Eagle Moor, Lincoln LN6 9DP
Application number: EPR/SP3930MK/V004
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Waterside House, Waterside North, Lincoln LN2 5HA
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 28 February 2017
North Yorkshire
Operator: Third Energy
Address: Kirby Misperton A Wellsite, Habton Road, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 6XS
Application number: EPR/EB3909KL/A001
Facility type: Mining waste
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds LS11 9AT
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 16 March 2017
Link
Operator: Third Energy
Address: Kirby Misperton B Wellsite, Habton Road, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 6XS
Application number: EPR/EB3206KG/A001
Facility type: Mining waste
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds LS11 9AT
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 16 March 2017
Link
Operator: Third Energy
Address: Knapton Generating Station, East Knapton, North Yorkshire YO17 8JF
Application number: EPR/HP3038LA/V005
Facility type: Combustion
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds LS11 9AT
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 16 March 2017
Link
Operator: Third Energy
Address: Marishes Wellsite, Habton Road, Low Marishes, Malton, North Yorks YO17 6UL
Application number: EPR/EB3206TV/A001
Facility type: Mining waste
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds LS11 9AT
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 16 March 2017
Link
Operator: Third Energy
Address: Pickering Wellsite, Malton Road, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 8EA
Application number: EPR/EP3593VG/A001
Facility type: Mining waste
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds LS11 9AT
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 16 March 2017
Link
Nottinghamshire
Operator: IGas
Address: Bothamsall Oilfield, Bothamsall, Nottinghamshire DN22 8DH
Application number: EPR/MP3731CN/V002
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Trentside Offices, Trentside North, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FA
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 13 March 2017
Link
Surrey
Operator: IGas
Address: Rooks Nest Farm, Godstone, Surrey RH9 8DE (also known as Palmers Wood)
Application number: EPR/XP3831CL/V002
Facility type: Loading, unloading, handling, storage, physical, chemical or thermal treatment of crude oil, mining waste operation and groundwater activity
Application number: EPR/ZB3094DJ/A001
Facility type: Radioactive substances activity – accumulate radioactive waste and dispose of radioactive waste
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Orchard House, Endeavour Park, London Road, Addington, West Malling, ME19 5SH
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 20 March 2017
Link and application documents
West Sussex
Operator: Kimmeridge Oil & Gas Ltd
Address: Wood Barn Farm, Adversane Lane, Broadford Bridge, near Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9ED
Application number: EPR/WP3335YJ/A001
Facility type: Standard rules permit for storage and handling crude oil arising from onshore oil and gas exploration and production activities
View at: 9.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday, Environment Agency, Guildbourne House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1LD
Phone: 03708 506 506
Comment by: 20 March 2017
Link
Updated 21/2/2017, 15/2/2017 and 17/2/2017 to add additional applications
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
The Environment Agency should put these applications online. It is unacceptable in this digital age that people must travel long distances to view such documents. If the local authorities can do so, why can’t the EA?
Perhaps they believe in localism, and such matters are the concern of the LOCAL population, who do not have to travel long distances?
Strange how the arguments change to suit.
…and why exactly should localism mean that local people have to take unnecessary time out of their lives to view a planning document Martin? That doesn’t make a huge amount of sense.
In the case of the Springs Road application, the LOCAL people would have had to make a 3 hour round trip to view the documents at the EA office. It isn’t Rocket Science to make access easy and freely available. So why aren’t they doing so?
If there is a planning application that concerns me in my Parish, and I have some interest in it, I go and view the documents when they are exhibited. I do not see that is a real problem.
I suspect this is more a case of wanting to try and pick holes in something without making too much of an effort, or being too involved in the location.
It seems to be the standard approach, but for locals who have lived next to such premises for many years, and in my case, observing and experiencing no problems, it will backfire.
Martin Collyer I am not following your line of thinking here. Who is trying to pick holes and in what? Who is lacking in effort or too involved in the location? What will backfire? Please be more specific.
Sorry you can not follow Jayne. Let me put it simply. If you have at any time to obtain Probate you will find that unless you want to pay your local solicitor you actually have to go to the Probate Office and swear an oath, ie. you are expected to make an effort for some things.
What will backfire is the constant willingness of the anti. brigade to spend a great deal of effort criticising process, trying to “infiltrate” local meetings held by commercial concerns in order to try and undermine the message, activities such as slow walking and climbing on vehicles or attaching themselves to them, having their “friends” labelled as pedalling untruths in the national media (that might be edited, but the actual text was more damning than that) and now under police investigation for claims of intimidation.
Remember one fact you will find in most books about how to sell. Avoid even talking about the competition, your job is to sell YOUR product. As soon as you fall into that trap your audience will very quickly decide you did so because YOUR product is no good.
I am still not sure of how you got to this point. I merely made a comment about the EA not publishing details for the applications on their website. This would be open and transparent and facilitate public access to documentation relating to developments that will have an impact on their local community. Now you are talking about Probate, anti-fracking infiltration of meetings, direct action and product promotion.
NOT developments that will have an impact on their local community, Jayne. You do seem to be missing a point. I feel we will just have to accept that the point you want to make out of this is very different to the point I am making.
This whole exercise is to simply bring the older facilities into the same permit regulations that have been utilised for the newer ones. It is quite clear within the text above. Why on earth should this have “an impact on their local community”? The local communities have been existing alongside these facilities for many years, and many locals will not know they were there and the rest (in my locality) will find they have been less intrusive than a small housing development. The only modification I could envisage from such action would be for the EA to indicate that past practice needs improving, but your default position seems to immediately criticise the process. There is no change of existing use, such would need a separate application.
It’s called “direct action” now is it, Jayne? I call it, having lost the argument.
This is a none story as you have rightly pointed out Martin. Bringing a few existing sites up to current regs / standards. No fracking, no new conventional, no new shale no new anything. What is there to comment on. Let the EA do their job. My car will need it’s first MOT soon, shall we run a story on this?
Good luck with the MOT. I hope it passes.
I think it is worth noting that IGas looks very much like it is going to be going into receivership soon. It has admitted it will be breaking its covenants this quarter and the share price has fallen sharply. The bonds are trading well below par implying no confidence in their ability to continue to service their debt.
They will be taken over shortly – and the old Star Energy team will be back (pre Petronas). At least that is the industry rumour.