Angus Energy is seeking permission to drill up to four new wells at the UK’s largest onshore producing gas field.

The company has submitted plans for two sites at the Saltfleetby field, near Louth in Lincolnshire.

If approved, drilling and testing would last about 52 weeks, spread across five years, using a rig up to 55m.

The scheme would include well testing and flowing gas and condensate into the existing process facility at Howdales.

Angus Energy said

“this application seeks permission to increase domestic UK energy production. There is a demonstrable need for gas in the UK and despite important targets to work towards building a net-zero economy, the high demand for gas will continue for the foreseeable future.

Drilling would be split into multiple campaigns, the company said.

“The results from each well will inform any decision on the need for additional wells.

“The drilling rig has the option of drilling new wells from surface or accessing a pre-existing well at a depth to intersect the target formation.”

During testing, any test gas from new wells would initially be burnt in a flare, rather than sent for processing.

Once the components of the gas have been validated, the gas would be processed and piped to the Howdales processing facility and then to the national transmission system, the company said.

Permission for gas production at Saltfleetby was first granted in 1999.

Angus Energy became the Saltfleetby operator in November 2019 and restarted production in September 2022.

Current monthly production volume at the field is about 7 million standard cubic feet (mmscf). This represents about three-quarters of UK onshore gas production.

Angus Energy also operates sites at Brockham in Surrey and Lidsey and Balcombe in West Sussex.

Key facts

Based on information in the planning application

Application number: PL/0055/24

Application details: 23 documents, including a 32-page planning statement

Decision maker: Lincolnshire County Council

Size of sites: Saltfleetby A is 0.81ha. Saltfleetby B is 2.81ha

Nearest homes: 520m from Saltfleetby A and 300m from Saltfleetby B

Nearby listed buildings: 7 within 2km of the wellsites

Landscape: Both wellsites within the Lincolnshire Coast and Marshes national character area

Status of gas field: Since discovery in 1996, Saltfleetby has been the largest onshore gas field in the UK

Planning policy: Angus said the application is supported by policies in the e Adopted Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Document (2016).

Impacts: The application says: “Overall, the environmental impacts of the proposed development are acceptable subject to proposed mitigation measures”.

Proposed development phases

Phase 1: Mobilisation of drilling rig and equipment

Duration: 1-2 weeks

Working hours: 7am-7pm Monday-Friday, 8am-1pm Saturday

Delivery hours: 7am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-1pm on Saturday

HGV deliveries: Up to 25 2-way movements/day

Phase 2: Drilling and completing vertical and lateral wells

Duration: 8-10 weeks

Working hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week

Delivery hours: 7am-7pm Monday-Friday and 7am-1pm Saturday but may be on a 24/7 schedule “due to emergency requirements”

HGV deliveries: 15 2-way movements

Phase 3: Demobilisation of drilling rig and equipment

Duration: 1-2 weeks

Working hours: 7am-7pm Monday-Friday, 8am-1pm Saturday

Delivery hours: 7am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-1pm on Saturday

HGV deliveries: Up to 25 2-way movements/day

Phase 4: Mobilisation of workover rig and well test equipment

Duration: 1 week

Working hours: 7am-6pm Monday-Saturday

Delivery hours: 7am-6pm Monday-Friday, 8am-1pm Saturday

HGV deliveries: Up to 15 2-way movements/day

Phase 5: Well clean up and testing

Duration: 2 weeks

Working hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week

Phase 6: Demobilisation of well test equipment

Duration: 1 week

Working hours: 7am-6pm Monday-Saturday

Delivery hours: 7am-6pm Monday-Friday, 8am-1pm Saturday

HGV deliveries: Up to 15 2-way movements/day

Phase 7: Production into existing process equipment

Each new well would need a pipeline to the Saltfleetby gas processing facility. Pipeline construction is estimated to be 4 weeks. Working hours would be 7am-7pm Monday-Friday and 8pm-1pm Saturday. Estimated deliveries would be 2-3 HGVs per day.

Consultation

Anyone can comment on the planning application.

This can be online or in writing to Planning Services, Lincolnshire County Council, Lancaster House, 36 Orchard Street, Lincoln, LN1 1XX.

The application is currently listed to be decided by delegated powers. This means the decision would be made by a planning officer, not the council’s planning committee.

• DrillOrDrop will follow the application through the planning system and report on responses to it.

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