Anchoring of the rig. Photo: DrillOrDrop
A month-long public consultation has opened on a bid to extend planning consent at the Broadford Bridge oil exploration site in West Sussex.
The site operator, Kimmeridge Oil & Gas Ltd (KOGL), is seeking permission to retain the site near Billingshurst for a further 12 months.
The deadline for comments is 10 August 2017.
The current planning permission, sought by the previous operator, Celtique Energie in 2012, runs out on 15 September 2017.
KOGL, which is wholly-owned by UK Oil & Gas Investments Ltd, said it needs the extra time to carry out 15-weeks of tests on the flow of gas and oil in the well.
If the tests were successful, the company said, it would “complete further assessments needed to inform a new planning application for further development”.
If no hydrocarbons were encountered, the site would be restored by spring or summer 2018.
The application has no non-technical summary, environmental statement or environmental impact assessment. There is no reference in the online documents to acidising or the use of hydrochloric acid in the well. This is planned as part of preparation for flow tests and has attracted controversy locally.
The planning statement said:
“The development, as extended, would not give rise to any new or additional significant adverse effects beyond those already considered within the ES [Environmental Statement submitted with the current permission]. With this in mind, the proposal is not accompanied by an environmental impact assessment.”
But the 2012 Environmental Statement did not mention acidising and opponents of operations at Broadford Bridge have said KOGL should submit a complete new planning application. They argue that Celtique Energie intended to explore for gas in sandstone, unlike the current plans for oil in Kimmeridge Limestones.
The new planning statement includes a revised site plan with larger area for chemical storage. It said a 12-month extension would not affect local traffic, residential amenity or wildlife. The risk of groundwater pollution was “inherently low”, it added.
The application said the proposal supported national and local planning policy. On the local economy, it said:
“Agricultural diversification would be supported by virtue of the steady income stream that would supplement the existing agricultural business – consistent with Horsham District Planning Framework rural economic development policy.”
When considering environmental impact, the application took account of the existing well site:
“The temporary and reversible nature of the effects of the proposal are acceptable when considered against an environmental base-line that contains the developed site.”
Application reference: WSCC/029/17/WC
Online application search page
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
I do not think that UKOG should be allowed an extension, I do not think that any risk is worth taking when so much is at risk with the water we drink, our rivers and the air we breathe potentially at risk. I strongly feel that this should be halted now and that we should move forward with cleaner, greener energy.
UKOG should be allowed to extend their licence . With the Post Brexit economy we will require any additional income that we can get.
UK Oil & Gas Investments PLC (London AIM and ISDX: UKOG) announces that the Oil and Gas Authority (“OGA”) has granted final consent for the Company’s forthcoming extended flow test programme at its 100% owned Broadford Bridge-1 (“BB-1”) oil exploration well. As previously reported, given the multiple positive indications of oil-filled fractures throughout a vertical Kimmeridge section of more than 1100 vertical ft, the planned flow test programme has now been substantially increased. The programme will now test around 900 feet of naturally-fractured Kimmeridge section over multiple zones and is designed to establish if oil can flow at commercial rates and in commercial quantities from BB-1.
And this is why you should object. Post from lse bb.
“The love of all that is sane UKOG do not now or ever need to produce a drop of oil to hit a double figure share price, once proven their licences contain billions of barrels or recoverable light sweet crude it will go chicken oriental!!!”
Allow a law abiding company like UKOG to get on and do its business by extending its license.
i wold like to confirm that with so much hype about environmental . and the damage that farmers have done in the past its a little late now
to protest in regards to environmental damage as the house has bolted so to speak. I strongly agree with the licence for further twelve months, With the prospect of a commercial thus saving the country billions in revenue in time surely this out ways the objections.
A co-ordinated number of responses from the lse bb will appear like this.
Has everyone lent their support for BB 1 year planning application there is a 10 min form to complete on their site. The most important PLANNING APPLICATION yet!
https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/…/find-a-planning-application/
Application reference: WSCC/029/17/WC
I SUPPORT the application for a one year extension to the Broadford Bridge oil exploration site in Adversane Lane to complete the flow test programme.
It is very important to the UK balance of payments , the U.K. Economy. UK fuel security and will contribute to the local economy
This application will prove the Weald Basin oil reserve potentially worth many billions. Thank You
I agree with Mike . We should support the planning application for a 1 year extension to the Broadford Bridge well site.
Its important for the economy.
Your message of support should include “I personally stand to make a couple of hundred quid profit on the shares I hold in UKOG and therefore don’t care one iota for the environment”
Good idea I’ll go and buy some shares today .
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