Operators of a Dorset oil site which has produced nothing since 2014 want to extend its life for another 10 years.

The current planning permission for the Waddock Cross site, granted 10 years ago, expires tomorrow (1 June 2023). By then, Egdon Resources should have cleared off all plant and equipment.

But in a new application to Dorset Council, the company said it wants to vary a condition of the planning consent, to keep the site open until June 2033.

The application is listed to be decided by planning officers under delegated powers, rather than the council’s planning committee.

A consultation is underway. Dorset Council decided the application did not need an environmental impact assessment.

Permitted work not carried out

A 53-page report from Egdon, which accompanies the application, said work on three new wells and a site extension, permitted under the current consent, had not been carried out.

Under the new application, no activities would take place on the site, 15 km from Dorchester, apart from occasional care and maintenance, the report said.

The time extension would not result in any adverse environmental or amenity impacts, the company added. The proposal accorded with local and national planning policies, it said.

Egdon said:

“the planning balance is strongly in favour of granting planning permission and in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development, it is considered that the planning application under the Town and Country Planning Act can be approved without delay.”

Comments on the application P/VOC/2023/02762 can be made to Dorset Council’s minerals and waste team by email: planningminerals@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or phone 01305 224289.

Future drilling planned

The report revealed that the Waddock Cross producing well, WX-3, was currently shut in and last extracted oil in 2014. Oil production at the site had declined and the volume of water produced was about 10% of oil.

But Egdon said it intended to submit a further planning application later in the year for two more wells at Waddock Cross and recompletion of an existing well for water disposal. This would be accompanied by updated environmental and technical assessments, the company said.

It said independent reservoir modelling had shown that drilling a new horizontal well could yield commercial oil production of 500-800 barrels of oil per day.

If achieved, this would put Waddock Cross in the top three UK onshore oil fields.