December 2023 headlines

By Ruth Hayhurst on December 5, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Keep up to date with December 2023’s news with our digest of daily updated headlines about the business, regulation and campaigns around UK fracking, shale, and onshore oil and gas.

Extinction Rebellion supporters outside Isleworth Crown Court for the sentencing of co-founder Dr Gail Bradbrook. She received a 15-month suspended prison sentence for breaking a door at the Department of Transport.
Photo: Extinction Rebellion

Headlines from this month’s COP28 are here.

For headlines from previous months, click here. Please let us know if we’ve missed something important contact@DrillOrDrop.com

Sunday 31 December 2023

What to watch in 2024. DrillOrDrop look ahead to what could be the big news in the coming 12 months.

China behind some of the North Sea’s dirtiest oil rigs. The Telegraph reports that the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation, that controls some of Britain’s largest offshore oil fields, is burning large amounts of waste gas offshore and is one of the North Sea’s biggest polluters.

Saturday 30 December 2023

Review of 2023: a year of legal challenges. DrillOrDrop reviews the important news events of 2023, including the legal challenges to planning decisions and government policy.

Sunak under fire for ‘inexplicable’ failure to appoint new climate committee chief. The Observer reports Rishi Sunak has come under fierce attack from UK climate experts for the Conservative government’s failure over the past 18 months to appoint a new chair of the independent committee that advises ministers on emissions targets.

Wednesday 27 December 2023

Zero onshore wind plans submitted in England since de facto ban was ‘lifted’. The Guardian reports that no new plans for onshore wind have been accepted in England since the government claimed it had lifted the de facto ban in September 2023. Renewable energy organisations warned at the time that this was likely.

Sunday 24 December 2023

Manchester United plc reaches agreement for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS, to acquire up to a 25% shareholding in the Company. Ineos reports it has acquired 25% of Class B shares in Manchester United held by the Glazer family. The company has also offered to acquire up to 25% of Class A shares. Ineos will invest $300m in the club. Completion of the deal is subject to approvals, including from the Premier League

Friday 22 December 2023

Keir Starmer considers s. caling back Labour’s £28bn green plans. The Guardian reports Labour is considering scaling back ambitious plans to borrow £28bn a year to invest in green jobs and industry amid fears the Conservatives will use the policy as a central line of attack in the general election campaign.

Thursday 21 December 2023

Europa Oil & Gas acquires interest in Equatorial Guinea. Europa reports that it has acquired a 42.9% US$3m equity interest in Antler Global Limited. Antler holds an 80% working interest in the EG-08 licence in offshore Equatorial Guinea, with Guinea.

Europa Oil & Gas board changes. Europa announces it has appointed Simon Ashby-Rudd as a non-executive director. he has a 30 years experience in investment banking.

Wednesday 20 December 2023

Saltfleetby gas storage plans to be accelerated as Angus Energy agrees £20m debt facility. DrillOrDrop report on deal with Trafigura to refinance debt and fund extra capital projects.

Star Energy appoints Anthony White to board. DrillOrDrop update

Tuesday 19 December 2023

Increased flow rate allowed at Wressle. DrillOrDrop report on changes to the Wressle permit which allow higher flow rates.

Monday 18 December 2023

Biscathorpe oil challenge – papers submitted to court. DrillOrDrop update on a court challenge that seeks to overturn approval of oil production at Biscathorpe in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Uplift and Greenpeace take government to court to stop Rosebank oil field. Greenpeace announces Uplift and Greenpeace UK are mounting separate legal challenges seeking to overturn the UK government’s decision to allow development of Rosebank, the UK’s largest untapped North Sea oilfield.

Star Energy appoints renewables exec as director. DrillOrDrop report on the appointment to the Star Energy board of Aneliya Erdly.

Extinction Rebellion co-founder walks free from court for breaking government window. Extinction Rebellion reports that its co-founder, Dr Gail Bradbrook received a 15 month suspended prison sentence for breaking a window at the Department of Transport in October 2019 to protest the government’s role in climate and nature emergencies. Outside of Isleworth Crown court, she was joined by protestors dressed as Suffragettes. She said:

“It wasn’t a surprise that the jury convicted me when the judge banned them from hearing most of my defence, including an almost entirely redacted transcript of my police interview and declared evidence in support of my motives as inadmissible in court.”

Thursday 14 December 2023

Star Energy trading update. Details from DrillOrDrop

Wednesday 13 December 2023

Balcombe residents raise £5,500 for court appeal. DrillOrDrop report that Frack Free Balcombe Residents’ Association has raised enough money to apply for permission to challenge a High Court judgement on an oil test in the village.

Repsol fined £160,000 for flaring and venting breach. The oil and gas industry regulator, NSTA, announces that Repsol has fined £160,000 for flaring and venting more than 73 tonnes of gas without permission. The offences were said to have taken place at Auk North, Halley and Fulmar fields in the North Sea.

Catch up with DrillOrDrop’s COP28 headline on the closing agreement here

Tuesday 12 December 2023

Star Energy mobilises rig for Croatian geothermal. Star Energy announces it has mobilised a drill rig on a recently constructed well pad in the Ernestinovo licence in eastern Croatia. The rig will re-enter an existing well to test the geothermal potential of the metamorphic pre-Cenozoic formation. The operation is expected to last a month.