Proposed equipment required for extended well test at Balcombe oil exploration site in West Sussex. Image: Angus Energy planning application
Angus Energy’s plans to test the flow of oil at its well at Balcombe in West Sussex are now open for public comment.
The application to the county council seeks consent for three years.
A public consultation continues until 12 November 2019.
The company said it sought to test the flow of oil to assess whether the well was commercially viable. The operation would require a 40m high crane, a 13.7m flare and, possibly, a 11.5m coiled tubing unit. The application does not seek permission for fracking.
The Balcombe well, known as Balcombe-2/2z, was drilled by the then site operator, Cuadrilla, in September 2013. That work was accompanied by daily protests.
The site, 380m from the nearest home, is in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Key facts
These details are based on the Angus Energy planning application. DrillOrDrop will follow the application through the planning process and will report responses to the plans.
Application number: WSCC/071/19
Location: Lower Stumble Exploration Site, off London Road, Balcombe, RH17 6JH
Proposal: Remove drilling fluids and carry out an extended well test
Duration of permission sought: Three years
Submitted: 2 October 2019
Validated: 8 October 2019
Published online: 9 October 2019
Deadline for comments: 12 November 2019
Case Officer: Chris Bartlett
Environmental Impact Assessment: Not needed
Angus Energy oil site at Balcombe, West Sussex. Red solid line marks site boundary. Red hashed line marks the route of the horizontal well. Map: Angus Energy planning application
Site details
Location: 800m south of the village of Balcombe
Distance from nearest home: 380m (Kemp Farm)
Size: 0.73 ha
Licence area: PEDL244
Operator since 2018: Angus Energy (25% interest in the licence)
Oil accumulation: Downthrown side of Borde Hill Fault
Closest public footpath: 500m north west of site
Designated areas: High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Detailed proposal
Site plan for extended well test at Angus Energy’s oil site at Balcombe in West Sussex. Map: Angus Energy planning application
Stage 1
Operation: Pump out previously used drilling fluids to establish the presence of dry oil – 4 weeks,
Equipment: linear rod pump or pump jack, pipe work and manifolding, surge tank, oil and waste storage tanks, vapour recovery tank, acoustic barriers would be installed if necessary, to minimise noise
Accommodation: portaloos and welfare cabins (number not specified)
Process: Fluids produced from the well would pass through a control valve to the surge tank and on to brine tank.
Working hours: 24-hour operations
HGV movements: 07.30am-6.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am-1pm on Saturdays. No HGV movements on Sundays, bank holidays or public holidays.
Stage 2
Operation: If oil is seen to be present, an extended well test would be carried out over a period of three years
Additional equipment: test separator unit, choke manifold, surface ESD system, on board data acquisition and reporting system.
- The planning statement did not include in the equipment list a 40m crane (onsite for up to 10 days) or the 13.7m enclosed flare to be used throughout the well test. A 32m workover rig would not be needed, the planning statement said.
Contingency equipment
- Nitrogen lift – Coiled tubing unit, nitrogen convertor and 2-4 nitrogen tanks would be used if required to aid the flow of the well;
- Acid wash – hydrochloric acid truck;
- Inflatable bridge plug run on coiled tubing unit
Accommodation: portaloos and welfare cabins (number not specified)
Process: Main fluid produced from the well would be oil, which would be stored in onsite tanks
Working hours: 24-hour operations
HGV movements: 07.30am-6.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am-1pm on Saturdays. No HGV movements on Sundays, bank holidays or public holidays.
Stage 3
Operation: Demobilisation of all equipment and site restoration to forestry at end of extended well test phase
Future operations
The borehole would be temporarily suspended if there were hydrocarbon reserves that could be viably extracted in future, the application said. A new planning application would be submitted for production.
Delivery lorry leaving Angus Energy’s oil site at Balcombe during short well test, 18 September 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Impacts
The following impacts are the conclusions of Angus Energy’s consultants. DrillOrDrop will report on responses to the application from people and organisations which may have different views.
Highways: Proposed operations would have a negligible effect on the local road network
Road safety: Angus said it would carry out minor landscaping work on the access track and site entrance to ensure safe access and minimal disruption. The company said more signs would be installed to the site. There would also be a banksman responsible for ensuring HGVs and other vehicles were guided to the site, the company said.
Noise: The proposed development “does not conflict with the relevant polices [on noise] in the development plan”, Angus said.
Air quality: Angus said emissions from the flare would be controlled by the Environmental Permit. Impact from increased vehicle numbers is not considered to be significant. An air quality assessment concluded the development would have a negligible impact on nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulates PM10, PM25 and carbon monoxide (CO).
Water: Angus concluded that any effects on flood risk, hydrology and drainage were considered to be “minor to negligible”
Landscape: Angus concluded that the direct effect on landscape character and the AONB would be “locally minor adverse reducing within the wider area to negligible”. There would “barely perceptible change in views” from the 40m crane, the company said
Ecology: Angus said there would no direct effects on nearby designated or non-designated sites but indirect effects, such as run-off, light spill and effects to air quality needed to be considered. The potential impact on habitat and species would be minimal if emissions to air and water were controlled.
Oil: Angus said the need for oil was supported by the National Planning Policy Framework, Planning Practice Guidance and policy M7a of the Joint Minerals Local Plan.
Planning background
1986: Drilling platform constructed and Balcombe-1 well drilled into the Great Oolite, Portland Sandstone and Kimmeridge limestones
January 2010: Planning permission granted under delegated powers to upgrade platform and to drill another exploratory borehole
September 2013: Balcombe-2 and Balcombe-2z sidetrack drilled to vertical depth of 2,200ft and horizontally to 1,714ft
May 2014: Permission granted by planning committee to flow test the Balcombe-2z borehole
May 2017: Planning permission expired without work carried out
10 January 2018: Permission granted by planning committee for further well flow test
Autumn 2018: Seven-day well test proved the presence of light moveable oil in Kimmeridge upper limestone, Angus Energy said, but returns went back to being almost 100% water. Angus said it believed this was drilling fluid that remained in the well, not formation water.
2 August 2019: West Sussex County Council decided that an extended flow test application would not need an Environmental Impact Assessment
28 August 2019: Balcombe Community Liaison Group met for first time (four members of Angus Energy, members of Balcombe Parish Council and Mid Sussex District Council, local police, representatives of West Sussex County Council)
2 October 2019: Application for extended well test submitted to West Sussex County Council
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
Well, that was a load of something!
The BBC programme was regarding JOURNALISM AND REPORTING!! I recognise the antis would have liked it to be about something else, but it was not. I listened to it and it was interesting but nothing new-just a summary of how media can make something out of very little that they believe will sell a “story” when complete reporting would not. I note XR are quite prone to using the same technique eg. their declaration regarding why they are targeting the City Airport, except the real passenger identification is very different from the profile they want to paint. Quite deliberate and done for a purpose. It is up to those who read such things to think a bit deeper about them.
“And clearly fracking is their end game. We are not stupid.”
Oops! See Ruth’s interview now posted.
Goodness, if you have so much problem with seeing what is obvious, no wonder you require so much time. Not sure the authorities or the exploration companies have the time to waste upon conspiracy theories and red herrings.
(I remember reading about WW2 and RAF pilots noting one light shining in French villages in the middle of the night, which told them the baker was making the fresh bread for the next day. How things have changed! Now, it is an anti burning the midnight oil!)