Keep up to date with April 2024’s news with our digest of daily updated headlines about the business, regulation and campaigns around UK fracking, shale, and onshore oil and gas.

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

Tuesday 30 April 2024

Perenco fined record £225,000 for breaching venting limit. DrillOrDrop report on the highest ever financial penalty issued by North Sea Transition Authority for breaches of venting limits.

Big oil privately acknowledged efforts to downplay climate crisis, joint committee investigation finds. The Guardian reports findings from US Democrats that big oil companies lobbied against climate laws they publicly claimed to support.

EU investigates ‘greenwashing’ at 20 airlines. The FT reports EU regulators have opened an investigation into 20 airlines over their use of potentially “misleading greenwashing practices”.

We must not let central net zero planning crush our brilliant enterprise economy. BusinessGreen reports a speech by the energy security and net zero secretary, Claire Coutinho. She said the government “has a role to play in making sure our industries and citizens are ready for the future, but we shouldn’t forget that our main role is to remove barriers and create the right market conditions for capital to flow”.

Top Human Rights Court Urged to Tackle Corporate Climate Crimes. DeSmog reports on a historic hearing of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights , which asked judges to clarify the role of business in preventing human rights harms from climate change.

Angus Energy board and advisor change. Angus Energy announces the resignation of non-executive director, Paul Forrest, and the appointment of SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP as its sole broker.

Monday 29 April 2024

Northern Ireland to ban fracking and onshore oil and gas operations. DrillOrDrop report on plans announced in the Northern Ireland assembly to ban all onshore petroleum exploration and prdouction.

Date set for Biscathorpe challenge. DrillOrDrop report on legal challenge to oil production and more drilling at Biscathorpe in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Thursday 25 April 2024

Archaeological challenge to Wressle expansion plans. DrillOrDrop report on an objection from council historians to the Egdon Resources planning application for the Wressle oil site.

Wednesday 24 April 2024

Star Energy’s revenue hit by oil and gas price falls. DrillOrDrop review of the company’s annual report and accounts.

Analysis: Fossil fuels fall to record-low 2.4% of British electricity. CarbonBrief analysis shows the share of electricity in Great Britain generated from burning coal and gas fell to a record-low 2.4% on Monday 15 April.

Monday 22 April 2024

Anti-fracking reunion at Kirby Misperton. DrillOrDrop report on a reunion of anti-fracking campaigners outside the KM8 shale gas site. The event marked Earth Day and six years since the clearance of fracking equipment from the site.

Judge throws out case against UK climate activist who held sign on jurors’ rights. The Guardian reports that a high court judge has thrown out an attempt by the government’s most senior law officer to prosecute a woman for holding a placard on jury rights outside a climate trial. Mr Justice Saini said there was no basis for a prosecution of Trudi Warner, 69, for criminal contempt.

Board change at UJO. Union Jack Oil announces the appointment of Craig Howie as an independent non-executive director. Raymond Godson, a non-executive director, is to retire following the company’s AGM in June.

Labour government would mean “fundamental reimagining” of NSTA, Energy Council says. Energy Voice covers a report from the Energy Council which concludes that Labour’s green prosperity plan and focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels means the NSTA’s role would need to change.

Net zero has become unhelpful slogan, says outgoing head of UK climate watchdog. The Guardian reports on an interview with the outgoing chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, Chris Stark. He tells the paper the concept of “net zero” has become a political slogan used to start a “dangerous” culture war over the climate, and may be better dropped. Sensible improvements to the economy and people’s lives were being blocked by a populist response to the net zero label, he says.

Sunday 21 April 2024

Fylde MP quits Conservative Party. The MP representing Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site, Mark Menzies, will stand down at the next election and has left the Conservative Party after it found he had shown a “pattern of behaviour” falling below the standards for MPs. He had been accused of using party money to pay off “bad people”. Widely reported, including BBC News, Sky News, Guardian and Independent

Friday 19 April 2024

UKOG loan reduction. UKOG announces it has reduced the balance of its loan with RiverFort Global Opportunities PCC Limited and YA II PN Ltd via a tranche of 200 million ordinary shares. The company says conversion of these equity shares will reduce the current £0.545m principal balance.

At least four dead after record-breaking rainfall in United Arab Emirates this week. Sky News reports that hundreds of flights were cancelled and roads were flooded after heavy thunderstorms caused 5.6 inches of rain to soak Dubai in one day.

Thursday 18 April 2024

Scottish government drops climate change target. The Scottish government announces its 2030 target for 75% emissions reduction will no longer be a statutory target, accepting it is now “out of reach”. Widely reported, including Sky News and BBC.

Climate targets scrapped: Worst decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament. Friends of the Earth Scotland describes the decision of the Scottish government to scrap its 2030 targets on climate pollution as “the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament”.

Tory MP loses whip after claims he used party funds to pay “bad people”. The Times reports Mark Menzies, the MP representing Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking site, had allegedly asked an aide for £6,500 to “escape captors” and spent £14,000 of campaign funds on medical costs. Also reported in the Guardian

Renewable energy minister backs anti-solar protests. The Telegraph reports that Andrew Bowie, the renewable energy minister, has told a rally of campaigners in Westminster that their concerns about solar are “completely legitimate”.

Liz Truss Book Calls for Climate Laws to be Abolished and Boasts of Effort to Cancel UK COP Summit. DeSmog reports that the former prime minister’s book attacks flagship climate deals and makes false claims about electric vehicles, Russia’s influence on energy policies, and net zero.

Protester committed contempt by holding sign for jurors to see, High Court told. PA reports on a High Court hearing which was told that a protester committed contempt of court by “deliberately targeting” jurors by holding up a sign outside a court ahead of a trial of climate activists.

Climate change:. Deadly African heatwave ‘impossible’ without warming. BBC News reports the views of scientists that a deadly heatwave in West Africa and the Sahel was “impossible” without human-induced climate change.

Wednesday 17 April 2024

New study calculates climate change’s economic bite will hit about $38 trillion a year by 2049. AP reports on a study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research which found that climate change will reduce future global income by about 19% in the next 25 years compared to a fictional world that’s not warming, with the poorest areas and those least responsible for heating the atmosphere taking the biggest monetary hit,

Billions more in overseas aid needed to avert climate disaster, say economists. The Guardian reports work by economists Nicholas Stern and Vera Songwe suggest $2.4tn a year is needed by 2030 to shift developing countries, excluding China, to a low carbon economy.

Tuesday 16 April 2024

Revealed: UK ‘double counting’ £500m of aid for warn-torn countries as climate finance. CarbonBrief reports the UK government has reclassified nearly £500m of aid for war-torn and impoverished countries as “climate finance”, in a bid to meet its international commitments under the Paris Agreement.

New wind installations hit a record last year, report says. Reuters reports on research by the Global Wind Energy Council which found the global wind industry installed a record 117 gigawats of new capacity last year but needs to add triple this amount annual by the end of the decade to meet climate targets.

Monday 15 April 2024

Weather damage insurance claims worst on record. Data from the Association of British Insurers shows that property insurers paid the equivalent of £13m ever day last year to help homeowners and businesses cope with unexpected and unwanted events like flooding and theft. The Guardian reports weather-related claims reached a record £573m

Sunday 14 April 2024

‘Grownup’ leaders are pushing us towards catastrophe, says former US climate chief. The Observer reports comments by Todd Stern, former special climate envoy to Barrack Obama, who helped negotiate the 2015 Paris agreement. He said political leaders who present themselves as “grownups”, while slowing the pace of climate action, are pushing the world towards deeper catastrophe.

Saturday 13 April 2024

Horse Hill production fall hits UKOG revenue. DrillOrDrop analysis of UKOG annual accounts.

Strasbourg court’s Swiss climate ruling could have global impact, say experts. The Guardian reports that the landmark legal ruling at the European Court of Human Rights could open the floodgates to a slew of new court cases around the world.

Science Museum bars public entry to energy revolution gallery. Extinction Rebellion reports that the Science Museum has closed a new gallery, sponsored by the coal mining group, Adani. This follows a protest by young people, scientists and supporters. A planned people’s assembly with members of the public will now not go ahead, XR says.

Friday 12 April 2024

Energy minister quits. DrillOrDrop report on the resignation of Graham Stuart as net zero and energy minister. Also report by Bloomberg

Young people and scientists occupy new coal-sponsored Science Museum gallery. Extinction Rebellion reports that 30+ young people, scientists and supporters are occupying the Science Museum’s new climate gallery in protest over its sponsorship by the mining group, Adani.

Thursday 11 April 2024

High Court to examine government’s climate protection plan. DrillOrDrop report on a legal challenge brought by two people whose lives are already severely affected by climate change.

Tuesday 9 April 2024

Cuadrilla cuts value of oil and gas assets. DrillOrDrop analysis of annual accounts from Cuadrilla companies reveals cuts of millions of pounds in the value of exploration licences.

E25m loan for Star Energy. DrillOrDrop report on a new loan to repay borrowing and fund geothermal development.

Swiss women win landmark climate case at Europe top human rights court. Reuters reports that Europe’s top human rights court ruled on Tuesday that the Swiss government had violated the human rights of its citizens by failing to do enough to combat climate change, in a decision that will set a precedent for future climate lawsuits. The European Court of Human Rights’s ruling, in favour of the more than 2,000 Swiss women who brought the case, is expected to resonate in court decisions across Europe and beyond, and to embolden more communities to bring climate cases against governments.

World’s biggest economies pumping billions into fossil fuels in poor nations. The Guardian reports the G20 group of developed and developing economies, and the multilateral development banks they fund, put $142bn (£112bn) into fossil fuel developments overseas from 2020 to 2022, according to estimates compiled by the campaigning groups Oil Change International (OCI) and Friends of the Earth US.

Monday 8 April 2024

Activists call on Barclays to close ‘fracking loophole’ in energy finance policy. PA reports that campaigners are calling on Barclays to close what they see as a “loophole” in its energy policy that allows the financing of fracking companies.

Board change at Europa Oil & Gas. Europa announces the appointment of Dr Eleanor Rowley as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect. She is currently managing director of Capricorn Energy (Egypt).

UJO update. Union Jack Oil announces its has drilled its Andrews 1-17 well in Oklahoma to a depth of 4,600ft.

Saturday 6 April 2024

Scientists confirm record highs for three most important heat-trapping gases. The Guardian reports on US research which confirmed that the levels of the three most important heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere reached new record highs again last year. The global average concentration of carbon dioxide rose to 419ppm in 2023, while methane rose to 1922 ppb. Nitrous oxide rose to 336ppb.

Extinction Rebellion co-founder spared jail over plot to close Heathrow by flying drones nearby. ITV reports Extinction Rebellion’s co-founder, Roger Hallam, has been given a suspended sentence after plotting with others to fly drones near Heathrow.

Dutch police have detained activist Greta Thunberg at a climate demonstration in The Hague. The Hill reports that the climate activist Greta Thunberg was among dozens of people detained by police in The Hague as they removed protesters who were partially blocking a road. 

Friday 5 April 2024

New laws to crack down on disruptive protests come into force. PA reports that new Serious Disruptive Prevention Orders, which aim to prevent individuals from repeating causing serious disruption at protests, come into force today.

MPs accuse Charity Commission of legal breach over climate sceptic thinktank. The Guardian reports Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, Labour’s Clive Lewis and Green MP Caroline Lucas, supported by the Good Law Project, have sent a legal letter to the regulator for failing to make a timely decision on a complaint made in October 2022 about whether the Global Warming Policy Foundation breached charity law.

Strasbourg court could rule that governments have to protect people from climate change. The Telegraph reports that the European court of human rights could this week rule that governments have to protect people from climate change. Judges will rule on three separate cases on whether people’s human rights have been breached by the failure of governments to protect them from the harmful effects of climate change.

Thursday 4 April 2024

Majority of recent CO2 emissions linked to just 57 producers, report says. Reuters reports on research by Carbon Majors, a non-profit think tank, which found that from 2016-2022 the vast majority of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions can be traced to a group of 57 fossil fuel and cement producers.

Wednesday 3 April 2024

UK onshore oil and gas production in charts – January 2024. DrillOrDrop report on the latest trends in onshore oil and gas production. UK onshore gas production rose 6% in January, with the second consecutive monthly increase at Saltfleetby.

Waddock Cross licence gets five-year extension. DrillOrDrop report on five more years added to the licence containing the mothballed Waddock Cross oil field in Dorset.

UK taxpayers to foot Shell’s bill for dismantling toxic North Sea rigs. The Telegraph reports UK taxpayers will pay “hundreds of millions of pounds” to pay for Shell to clear up toxic sludge from three oil and gas drilling platforms in the North Sea.

The UK needs a climate election. Caroline Lucas, writing in BusinessGreen, says the UK faces “one of the most important elections of our lifetime” but the climate emergency is set to become one of the most weaponised and politicised electoral battlegrounds worldwide.

Shell says landmark emissions ruling won’t help climate goals. Reuters reports on the opening day of the appeal by Shell against a 2021 climate ruling. The company said the ruling has “no legal basis. It obstructs the role that Shell can and wants to play in the energy transition”.

Network Rail to spend £2.8bn to cope with effects of climate crisis. The Guardian reports that Network Rail is to spend nearly £3bn to protect the railway from the effects of the climate crisis and extreme weather, as it warned that the country’s network was having to contend with hotter summers and more winter floods.

Tuesday 2 April 2024

Opponents celebrate refusal of permission for Broadford Bridge oil site. DrillOrDrop report on gathering of campaigners against oil and gas operations in southern England outside a site refused planning permission last week.

Shell appeal against landmark climate ruling taken to The Hague. The FT reports that Shell will fight to repeal a landmark court ruling made in 2021, which ruled that the company must cut its emissions by 45% by 2030, relative to 2019. Shell’s lawyers will argue that the ruling has “no legal basis and overstepped the remit of the judiciary, the paper reports.

Fossil Fuels Must Keep a Role, New China Climate Chief Says. Bloomberg reports comments by China’s top climate diplomat, Liu Zhenmin, that cleaner power sources should eventually dominate the global power mix but fossil fuels will continue to be required.

Energy bills lowest for two years under new price cap. BBC News reports energy prices have fallen to their  lowest level for two years, but experts are urging people to stick to savings habits because bills remain expensive.

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