Drilling began this morning on the main borehole at the West Newton-B exploration site in East Yorkshire, site operator Rathlin Energy has announced.
The company said the borehole would be drilled, 24-hours a day, to a depth of about 2,000m. The operation is expected to last six-10 weeks, it said.
The rig, the Drillmec HH220, arrived on 22 September 2020 .
The well is targeting the Kirkham Abbey and Cadeby formations. Rathlin said they were encountered by the nearby West Newton-A2 well, spudded in April 2019.
Opponents of Rathlin’s operation at West Newton have been monitoring activity at site since July 2020. A post on social media has called for support:
” We are now on 24 7 rig watch as they are drilling throughout the day and night so it is important that monitors have somewhere safe and warm to go back to after standing outside for long periods.”
A statement issued by the company today said:
“The rock samples and other data acquired during the drilling of WNB-1 will inform a subsequent programme of well testing to establish the well’s productive capability and any future drilling operations.”
Rathlin said site access was required 24-hours a day, seven days a week. But it said most deliveries were planned during the day.
Three road closures, agreed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, will remain in force. The closure orders could run until July 2021.
DRILL OR DROP? 
This toxic pathway through the aquifer to the surface will affect regional public health and the East Riding environment forever.
With the value of oil at rock bottom, this well is completely unnecessary and only a ruse to influence the share price of the Ponzi companies involved.
WD
Just as the hundreds of wells through the aquifer around eakring, and a few 10s of mineshafts through the aquifer have caused havoc with Notts Public health and the environment for … er ?
WD – what has the price of oil got to do with radioactive waste disposal? You have previously advised us that these wells will be used for RA waste? Changed your mind now? Either way the aquifers will be fine. Still waiting for you to tell us about the RA contaminated equipment at Knapton?
You make me laugh,monitoring since July. Pete Lomas clears off every night to his girlfriends house. Thats why they have claimed drilling had started about 3 times already. They claimed the work-over rig was broken and gone for repairs and nothing was going to happen again until November. Riviera put in the odd appearance to goad security staff. I am afraid Lomas/Hamilton and Riviera are doing more damage to your cause than anyone else. Crack on.
Monitors requesting support with funding, food, clothing and wood for heating, that required an announcement from the company to know that drilling had commenced. Hope they start to offer better value and performance soon.
“Drillmec HH220” is a type of rig not the name of the rig.
” We are now on 24 7 rig watch as they are drilling throughout the day and night so it is important that monitors have somewhere safe and warm to go back to after standing outside for long periods.”
Perhaps they can buy back their previous caravans from the council from the last eviction?