Keep up to date with May 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

Friday 31 May 2024

Rathlin Energy to miss drilling deadlines at West Newton. DrillOrDrop report on news that Rathlin Energy has asked the industry regulator for more time to meet its commitments at West Newton

Monday 27 May 2024

Carbon footprint of West Newton gas “significantly lower” than UK average – report estimates. DrillOrDrop looks at estimates of the carbon intensity of West Newton gas production in East Yorkshire.

Plans to decarbonise grid hampered by connection delays and market uncertainty, MPs warn. Business Green covers a report from the House of Commons environmental audit committee on electrification of Great Britain. The MPs conclude there is “sufficient clean power capacity in the pipeline” to meet the government’s 2035 target but “progress was being hampered by grid capacity and lengthy planning delays”.

Saturday 25 May 2024

Election 24: Ex-energy secretary steps down. DrillOrDrop report on the announcement that Dame Andrea Leadsom will not fight the general election.

Election 24: Former anti-fracking campaigner stands in Thirsk and Malton. DrillOrDrop report on Steve Mason standing for the Liberal Democrats in the former fracking constituency.

Saturday 25 May 2024

Just Stop Oil ‘alienates people’ from its cause, says Ed Miliband. The Guardian reports comments by the shadow energy secretary that the climate activist group is alienating people from its cause.

Nearly 175 arrested as climate protesters target France’s TotalEnergies and key investor. The Guardian reports that the annual meetings of Total Energy and one of its biggest shareholders were picketed by climate activists. Total’s chief executive told shareholders that new oilfields have to be developed to meet global demand.

Friday 24 May 2024

Friends of the Earth challenges anti-protest injunctions at European Court of Human Rights. DrillOrDrop report on the first application to challenge this kind of injunction at the Strasbourg court.

Hay Festival cuts ties with long-term sponsor over oil and Israel. Sky News reports that the Hay Festival has suspended its sponsorship with investment management firm, Baillie Gifford, after participants including Nish Kumar, Charlotte Church and Labour MP Dawn Butler pulled out of the event. The company has been accused of investing billions in fossil fuels.

Wednesday 22 May 2024

General election called for Thursday 4 July. Friends of the Earth says the election must be a gamechanger for people and the planet. DrillOrDrop roundup of reaction.

Tuesday 21 May 2024

Court finds government anti-protest legislation unlawful after Liberty legal challenge. Liberty reports that the High Court has quashed a law that lowered the threshold on protest crackdowns to anything that caused “more than minor” disturbance. The court ruled that the government did not have the power to create the legislation. The government has appealed.

Tuesday 14 May 2024

Fossil fuel firms forcing countries to compensate them, Mary Robinson says. The Guardian reports a warning by former UN officials, including Mary Robinson and Ban Ki-moon, that fossil fuel companies are forcing forcing governments to compensate them for lost earnings in the transition to a low-carbon global economy.

Monday 13 May 2024

Star Energy Weald oil fields still emitting methane. DrillOrDrop reports on research by the Clean Air Task Force, which found oil fields run by Star Energy in or near the South Downs National Park were still emitting climate changing gases.

Banks have given almost $7tn to fossil fuel firms since Paris deal, report reveals. The Guardian reports on research by the Indigenous Environmental Network, which wound that the world’s big banks have handed nearly $7tn (£5.6tn) in funding to the fossil fuel industry since the Paris agreement to limit carbon emissions.

Every UK political party is failing to tackle crisis facing nature, biggest charities warn. The i reports a warning from National Trust, RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and Woodland Trust that one in six species in the UK face extinction.

Rishi Sunak lays out UK food security plan to withstand climate and war. Reuters reports Rishi Sunak will set out plans on Tuesday (14 May) to improve food security and cut reliance on imports from other countries.

Barclays’ billions of ‘sustainable’ finance for fossil fuel industry is greenwash, says investor. The Bureau for Investigative Journalism, reports Andrew Harper, of Epworth, an investment manager used by the Methodist Church, has branded Barclays as “totally dishonest” for calling tens of billions of dollars for fossil fuel companies “sustainable finance”.

Sunday 12 May 2024

‘Extreme’ protest groups face ban under proposal. BBC News reports that protest groups such as Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action could be banned in a similar way to terrorist organisations, under a proposal from the government’s adviser on political violence.

Saturday 11 May 2024

Ministers consider making UK’s carbon targets easier to meet. The Guardian reports the government is considering plans to weaken the UK’s carbon-cutting plans by allowing the unused portion of the last carbon budget to be carried over to the next period. This would go against the strong recommendation of the Climate Change Committee.

Thursday 9 May 2024

Australia backs gas beyond 2050 despite climate fears. The BBC reports an announcement by the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, that it will ramp up its extraction and use of gas until 2050 and beyond, despite global calls to phase out fossil fuels.

Demonstration outside Barclays AGM. Extinction Rebellion Scotland reports that climate groups will be joining a demonstration before the Barclays AGM at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow.

Hearing date set for proposed West Cumbria Coal mine. The Coal Action Network reports that the legal challenges against the government’s approval of a new coal mine in west Cumbria will be heard in London from 16-18 July.

Wednesday 8 May 2024

Balcombe villagers head to appeal court. DrillOrDrop reports that a judge has granted residents of Balcombe in West Sussex the right to challenge a High Court decision to allow oil exploration in their village.

Labour MP quits Politico climate event over Equinor sponsorship. DeSmog reports that Alex Sobel, who represents Leeds North West, has withdrawn from an energy and climate conference after learning that the Norwegian oil company, Equinor, is among the sponsors.

World’s top climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5C target. The Guardian reports exclusively on a poll of hundreds of scientists which found the planet is headed for at least 2.5C of heating, with disastrous results for humanity.

BP softens tone on 2030 oil output cut to reassure investors. Reuters reports BP has softened its pledge to cut its 2030 oil and gas output in an effort to reassure investors over its energy transition strategy and narrow a gaping value gap with rivals.

BP and Shell ‘shaped’ UK carbon tax proposals, private emails show. DeSmog reports on documents, including internal emails, show that BP and Shell were given “ample opportunity” to privately influence proposals for taxing oil and gas companies that were later backed by the government.

Milei’s Argentina is fast becoming the Texas of Latin America. The Telegraph reports Argentina’s vast shale reserves are the president’s most potent economic weapon.

Tuesday 7 May 2024

UJO’s Oklahoma well update. Union Jack Oil announces that the Andrews 1-17 well, in which it has a 45% interest, has been declared a commercial discovery. Installation of permanent production facilities has begun.

Friday 3 May 2024

Breaking: Government’s “inadequate” climate action plan ruled unlawful – again. DrillOrDrop report on the High Court ruling for the second time in less than two years that the government’s plan to meet climate targets is unlawful.

31 North Sea licences in offered in offshore wind zones. DrillOrDrop report on latest licence awards for the North Sea.

UK onshore oil and gas production in charts – February 2024. DrillOrDrop analysis of the latest UK onshore oil and gas production data

Thursday 2 May 2024

Methane emissions from gas flaring being hidden from satellite monitors. The Guardian reports on a satellite image investigation which found that oil and gas equipment intended to cut methane emissions is preventing scientists from accurately detecting greenhouse gases and pollutants.

Wednesday 1 May 2024

UKOG gets help to farm out Loxley drilling project. DrillOrDrop reports on UKOG’s announcement that it has appointed a company to facilitate the farm out of its Loxley gas drilling and test work in Surrey.

How to fix the finance flows that are pushing our planet to the brink. Teresa Anderson, global lead on climate justice for ActionAid International, reports for Climate Change News that we can’t address the climate crisis unless we fix the finance flows that are failing the planet. She says banks like Barclays, HSBC and Citibank are pumping billions into fossil fuel expansion, knowing full well that their decisions directly lead to climate chaos and devastating local pollution, particularly for communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

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