Planners at North Lincolnshire Council have granted planning permission for more drilling and small-scale fracking in an expansion of the Wressle oil site near Scunthorpe.

The scheme was approved under delegated powers and did not go before the September planning committee to be decided by councillors.

The Wressle site, which currently has a single well, is the UK’s second largest onshore oil producer, after Wytch Farm in Dorset.

The proposals include increasing the Wressle footprint by about a third and drilling and producing from two new wells.

The permission allows the site operator, Egdon Resources, to construct gas processing facilities and an underground pipeline. The pipeline would transport gas produced alongside the oil, which has been burnt in a flare.

The consent also permits the use of proppant squeeze on both new wells. This is a small-scale form of hydraulic fracturing, used to increase the flow of oil. It is not affected by the moratorium on fracking in England introduced in November 2019 because the volume of water is below the statutory limit.

Egdon proposes to inject 150m3 of fluid and 20-30 tonnes of proppant into the surrounding formation at pressures high enough to fracture rocks.

A proppant squeeze is also planned by Egdon’s partner, Europa Oil & Gas, as part of a gas appraisal proposal at Burniston in North Yorkshire.

Details

The planners’ delegated assessment of the Wressle application listed an objection from Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, which owns a nature reserve 10m from the application boundary. It said it could not identify any pre-engagement correspondence about the proposals from Egdon or its representatives.

The Trust questioned Egdon’s traffic management plan. It also strongly disagreed that there was a need to further expand oil and gas exploitation at the Wressle site.

There were no objection or comment from Broughton Town Council. Appleby Parish Council agreed to the scheme in principle.

According to the planners, “No third party letters of support, comment or objection have been received as a result of publicity”.

The planners added that eight feedback forms provided at a local information event were received. All written and verbal feedback was “supportive of the application”, the planners said.

They said the scheme complied with local and national policies. They acknowledged the wildlife trust’s concerns about potential adverse impacts. But added:

“it is considered that there are no material adverse impacts of the development that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”

They said:

“it is recommended that planning permission is merited.”

The decision document, dated Friday 13 September 2024, has 21 planning conditions. These cover issues including timing of work, restoration, requirement for a Biodiversity Net Gain and Management Plan and controls on dust, lighting and noise.

Reaction

Will Holland, chief executive of Europa, said in a statement today:

“The development programme at Wressle will increase the oil production and monetise the associated gas from the field, which will result in zero routine flaring at site.

“Domestic production accounts for less than 50% of demand in the UK, yet this provides economic and environmental benefits when compared to imports.”

David Bramhill, the executive chairman of another partner, Union Jack Oil, said in a statement:

“This positive decision represents to Union Jack a significant domestic production growth opportunity at our robust and reliable flagship Wressle project and for the UK provides economic and environmental benefits compared to imports on which the UK is becoming increasingly reliant.”

• In 2023, Wressle accounted for about 4% of UK onshore oil production, behind Wytch Farm (76%). Onshore oil production in 2023 was 1.89% of total UK oil production
• North Lincolnshire’s planning committee refused three earlier planning applications for production from the first Wressle well. A planning inspector upheld the first two refusals in 2018 after a public inquiry. The third refusal was overturned in 2020 after a second public inquiry.

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