Broadford Bridge oil site, 27 August 2017. Photo: Weald Oil Watch
Operators of two oil sites in West Sussex are seeking new permissions from regulators.
Kimmeridge Oil & Gas Ltd has added a second application to one submitted in July to extend consent for a year at the Broadford Bridge site near Billingshurst.
Angus Energy has applied to the Environment Agency for new permits for its site at Lidsey, near Bognor Regis, where the company had said it would be producing oil this summer.
Broadford Bridge
A consultation on the latest Broadford Bridge application (032/17/WC) began last week and runs until 21 September 2017.
It seeks to extend permission for security fencing, gates and cabins at the site for a further 12 months. Planning permission for these items was granted in 2014 (037/14/WC) and expires on 30 September 2017.
West Chiltington Parish Council has been asked to comment on the fencing application (Planning committee agenda for 5 September 2017). The earliest scheduled planning committee of West Sussex County Council where the application could be discussed is 10 October 2017.
DrillOrDrop understands that the authority is unlikely to take action for the lapsed planning permission because Kimmeridge Oil & Gas (KOGL) had submitted a new application.
Opponents outside the Broadford Bridge site entrance. Photo: Weald Oil Watch
KOGL, a subsidiary of UK Oil and Gas, is also seeking permission (029/17/WC) for oil and gas operations to continue at Broadford Bridge for another 12 months. This would allow flow testing and restoration to be carried out. The consultation on this application ended on 10 August 2017 and the proposals are expected to be considered by the county council’s planning committee at a meeting on 12 September 2017.
The original permission for hydrocarbon exploration (052/12/WC) required the site to be restored within three years of the start of work – a deadline which expires on 15 September 2017.
DrillOrDrop reports on the Broadford Bridge applications: Actors join residents to hand in objections to oil exploration at Broadford Bridge in West Sussex and UKOG’s bid to extend planning consent at Broadford Bridge now open for comment
Lidsey
Lidsey oil site. Photo: Weald Oil Watch
The Environment Agency announced today that Angus Energy had applied for permission for two environmental permits at Lidsey.
The company is planning to drill a new production well at the site – to be called Lidsey-x2.
Earlier this month, the company made a statement to investors:
“The Company now has all regulatory consents to drill and produce Lidsey-x2”.
But today, the EA gave details of an application for a bespoke permit at Lidsey which seeks permission for:
- Loading, unloading, handling, storage and treatment of crude oil from the Lidsey-x2
- Venting for four existing storage tanks
- Temporary storage of waste resulting from acid wash treatments
- Temporary storage of waste equipment from well maintenance
- Temporary storage of produced water
The application also seeks permission, when the Lidsey-x2 well has been drilled, to reinject produced water into the existing Lidsey-x1 well. Produced water is currently taken to the Angus site at Brockham.
The application also proposes to remove a previously permitted activity: the treatment and storage of sludge and waste water.
A public consultation on the permit application closes on 29 September 2017.
A second standard rules permit, on which the Environment Agency said it was not consulting the public, is for the accumulation and disposal of naturally-occurring radioactive waste.
DrillOrDrop invited Angus Energy to comment on the latest applications. This post will be updated with any response.
In July, managing director, Paul Vonk, told a conference call with investors on 12 July that both the new Lidsey well and a well drilled in January 2017 at its site at Brockham in Surrey would be in production this summer.
Drilling at Lidsey appears to have been delayed because the rig is still at Broadford Bridge. The Brockham site is waiting for approval for production from the Oil and Gas Authority. The site is also the subject of a planning dispute between the company and Surrey County Council. (Latest DrillOrDrop report on Brockham)
Resources
DrillOrDrop summary pages for Broadford Bridge, Lidsey and Brockham
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
Wonderful news. The sooner we as a Nation are self sufficient in oil the better.
Yet more good news from our mighty North sea UK base fuel suppliers. 2 more fields up and running.
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/149057/total-announces-start-edradour-glenlivet-near-1b-investment/
Production costs down and new field opening up. New Government sponsored offshore seismic paying off.
Great for UK energy security and those who were worried the lights would go out and pensioners would freeze to death.
More output means more employment. Today 375,000 people work in the North sea industry. We have another 50,000 plus skilled workers who will benefit as more fields come on line.
Production up for third year on the row.
It would appear George’s plan to strangle the North sea has failed.
John
Outwith fracking, what is your view re onshore conventional oil?
It seems to be tarred with the same brush as fracking.
I think that it’s better to endure the environmental cost of what you use without much thought, than expect someone else to endure it for you.
Strange how some don’t appear to agree with Prof. Smythe, having explored the geology for themselves! (That was ironic.)
Martin, you may be interested to know I have just posted a rebuttal to the guest post of Prof Smythe.
Thanks Injuneer. I have read with interest. Facts over speculation win for me everyday, and the phrase “those who can-do, those who can’t- teach” comes to mind.
Let’s face it, the geology in the Weald is not straight forward, otherwise it would have been developed long ago, but this is the same for many areas of the world and for the Prof. to speculate at this stage is IMO not professional or scientific. I really fail to see the purpose behind it as much more exploration is underway/planned which should clarify quite a few issues. I know there has been some other speculation, but that is media and investors which is hardly unexpected.
(Actually, I do see the purpose behind it, but I am in a kind mood today.)
I really fail to see the need for even more fossil fuel.