October 2024 saw the lowest daily production rate for UK onshore oil since the oil leak at Wytch Farm 18 months earlier.
This was the fourth consecutive monthly fall in UK onshore daily production. According to official data dating back to 1979, October’s daily production figure of 11,000 barrels per day (bopd), was well below the average of 69,493 (bopd).
In contrast, UK onshore daily gas production rose for the third consecutive month in October 2024 to the highest level for seven months.
The data also confirms that Horse Hill in Surrey produced oil in October 2024, more than four months after the Supreme Court quashed the site’s planning permission.
Cuadrilla’s Elswick site in Lancashire produced gas for the first time for more than a decade, the data also revealed.
Key figures
Daily oil production: 11,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd)
September 11,193 bopd, August 11,776 bopd, July 12,314 bopd
Oil volume: 54,213m3
September 53,387m3, August 58,037m3, July 60,690m3
Oil weight: 44,849 tonnes
September 44,133 tonnes, August 47,948 tonnes, July 2024: 50,148 tonnes
Daily gas production: 9.64 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d)
September 8.67 mmscf/d, August 8.59 mmscf/d, July 2024 7.22 mmscf/d
Gas volume: 8,726 thousand standard cubic meters (Ksm3)
September 7,367, August 7,540 Ksm3, July 6,339 Ksm3
Gas weight: 6,891 tonnes
September 6,034 tonnes, August 6,186 tonnes, July 5,143 tonnes
Onshore oil’s contribution to UK total production: 1.86%
September 2.08%, August 2.70%, July 2.16%
Onshore gas’s contribution to UK total production: 1.04%
September 0.92%, August 0.96%, July 0.74%
Volume of flared gas at UK onshore oil fields: 951 ksm3
September 943 ksm3, August 975 ksm3, July 1,035ksm3
Volume of vented gas at UK onshore oil fields: 119 ksm3
September 98ksm3, August 100ksm3, July 123ksm3
Number of onshore fields which recorded some oil production in October 2024: 30
September 31, August 31, July 31
Number of onshore fields which recorded some gas production in October 2024: 13
September 8, August 7, July 8
Number of onshore producing fields which recorded no oil production in October 2024: 13
September 12, August 12, July 12
Number of onshore producing fields which recorded no gas production in October 2024: 12
September 17, August 18, July 16
This article uses data compiled and published by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) from reports by oil and gas companies. This is published about three months in arrears. All the charts are based on the NSTA data. Occasionally, figures change retrospectively.
Details
Daily production
Volume and weight
Contribution to total UK oil and gas production
Flaring and venting
Producing fields
Oil
Gas
Non-producing fields
Oil
The October 2024 data shows there was no production at 13 UK onshore oil fields. This was one more than in September, August and July 2024. The new field to join the non-producing list was Star Energy’s Stainton.
The non-producing fields were:
- Angus Energy: Lidsey
- Britnrg Limited: Newton-on-Trent
- Heyco (formerly Egdon Resources): Dukes Wood, Fiskerton Airfield, Keddington, Kirklington, Waddock Cross
- Star Enery (formerly IGas): Avington, Egmanton, Nettleham, Scampton, South Leverton, Stainton
Gas
There was no production from 12 onshore fields in October 2024, according to the data. This is five fewer than in September.
Production resumed at Cuadrilla’s Elswick site, for the first time since March 2023. Production also resumed at Bevercotes, Cadeby, Mansfield and Warsop coal mine vents.
The full list of non-producing fields is:
- Heyco: Kirkleatham
- EP UK Investments: Humbly Grove Gas Storage
- Ineos: Airth, Doe Green
- Infinis Energy: coal mine vents at Askern, Florence, Gedling, Kings Mill Hospital, Prince of Wales, Sherwood and Whitwell
- Scottish Power: Hatfield
Operators
Oil
Gas
2022-2024 onshore oil data archive
August 2022 – see note about revised data
July 2022 – see note about revised data
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