Fracking equipment at Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road, 28 November 2018. Photo: Ros Wills
Summary of recent activity and expected operations at key sites, including applications, decisions, company plans and licence changes.
The list is organised alphabetically by county or unitary authority and then by site. Click on the bold red site name to take you to more detailed information.
Please let us know if we’ve missed something important or if the information is wrong or out-of-date. Contact here.
Last updated 5/3/2020
Cheshire
Bridge Trafford, A56, Warrington Road, Bridge Trafford, PEDL190, IGas
Status: No permissions
Doe Green, Farnworth Road, Penketh, Warrington WA5 2TU, Ineos Shale
Status: Gas production
Ellesmere Port 1, Portside One, Portside North, Merseyton Road, Ellesmere Port, PEDL184, IGas
Status: Appeal against refusal – decision recovered by business secretary and expected April 2020 but not issued and no scheduled date.
Ince Marshes, Plot 11 Ince Resource Recovery Park, Lordship Lane, Frodsham, PEDL190, IGas
Status: Pre-planning for proposal to drill and frack for shale gas. Application expected after result of Ellesmere Port inquiry.
Derbyshire
Bramleymoor Lane, Marsh Lane, Eckington, PEDL300, Ineos Upstream (Ineos Shale)
Status: Approved for exploratory shale gas drilling, no action
Dorset
Athelhampton Road, Puddletown, PEDL327, South Western Energy
Status: Application for construction of site compound and drilling a single vertical well for the appraisal and production of oil. No decision date
East Riding of Yorkshire
West Newton-A, off Fosham Road, West Newton, PEDL183, Rathlin Energy, photos
Status: Testing on second oil/gas exploratory well suspended after oil discovery. Rathlin says well test is expected soon.
West Newton-B, Crook Lane, West Newton, PEDL183, Rathlin Energy, photos
Status: Approved for oil/gas exploratory drilling. Site construction underway.
Falkirk
Airth, PEDL133, Ineos
Status: long-running planning dispute – planning inquiry due to be reopened by Scottish government but Ineos withdrew its appeal
Hampshire
Horndean oil field, PL211, IGas
Status: Producing oil field – next to the former PEDL216 which contained Markwells Wood, with interest from UKOG for horizontal drilling
Isle of Wight
Arreton, PEDL331, UK Oil and Gas Investments PLC
Status: Site and proposals announced at public meeting in December 2019. Application submitted and public consultation completed.
Godshill, PEDL331, UK Oil and Gas Investments PLC
Status: Site and proposals announced at public meeting in December 2019. No application yet submitted.
Lancashire
Altcar Moss, near Formby PEDL164, Aurora Energy Resources
Status: Application to drill and frack for shale gas withdrawn. Experts say seismic data and conclusions were outdated and ecological information incomplete
Elswick, near Blackpool, EXL269, Cuadrilla Elswick
Status: Production site with permission to retain for five more years.
Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road near Blackpool, 9 January 2020. Photo: Maxine Gill
Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, PEDL165, Cuadrilla site photos
Status: Two shale gas wells drilled and partially fracked, both causing earth tremors. Now suspended. PNR1z plugged. Pressure test underway on PNR2 – to be completed by 5 August 2020.
Roseacre Wood, Roseacre Road, Roseacre, PEDL165, Cuadrilla
Status: Appeal for shale gas exploration and fracking refused. Permit surrendered.
Lincolnshire
Biscathorpe, land off High Street, Biscathorpe, near Louth LN11 9RA PEDL253, Egdon Resources
Status: Suspended after unsuccessful drilling but proposals for a sidetrack
North Kelsey-1, land off Smithfield Road, North Kelsey, Brigg, Lincolnshire LN7 6HG PEDL 241, Egdon Resources
Status: Permission to drill for oil but no activity. Application submitted for second time extension
Saltfleetby, North End Lane, South Cockerington, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, PEDL005, Angus Energy
Status: Two planning applications submitted to Lincolnshire County Council to recommence gas production.
Wressle-1, Lodge Farm, Clapp Gate, Appleby, DN15 0DB, PEDL180, Egdon Resources
Status: Permission for long-term oil production granted after second public inquiry. Groundwater monitoring boreholes drilled. Pre-work conditions remain to be signed-off
North Yorkshire
Ebberston Moor wellsites, PL077, Third Energy
Status: Various planning permissions
KM8, Habton Road, Kirby Misperton, Ryedale, PL080, Third Energy photos
Status: Awaiting final fracking consent. Company says it has no plans to frack.
Nottinghamshire
Springs Road, Misson, Bassetlaw, PEDL139, IGas, photos
Status: Drilling vertical shale gas well, one of two permitted; decision on whether to drill second well still expected.
Tinker Lane, Torworth, Bassetlaw, PEDL200, IGas, photos
Status: Shale gas well drilled but missed Bowland Shale; well abandoned and site restored
Rotherham
Common Road, Harthill, PEDL304, Ineos Upstream (Ineos Shale)
Status: Permission for shale gas exploration but no activity except reports of fencing and amendment to traffic management plan
Woodsetts, PEDL304, Ineos Upstream (Ineos Shale)
Status: Appeal against refusal – decision recovered by business secretary. Decision expected April 2020 but not issued and no scheduled date
Salford
Barton Moss (also known as Irlam 1), PEDL193, Ineos Upstream (Ineos Shale)
Status: Well and sidetrack drilled, currently suspended
Surrey
Albury Park, New Road, Albury, DL004, IGas
Status: Permission for compressed natural gas and electricity generation
Bletchingley, King’s Farm, Tilburstow Hill Road, South Godstone, ML021, IGas
Status: Permission to extend, upgrade and produce for 15 years
Brockham, Feltons Farm, Old School Lane, Brockham, Surrey, RH3 7AU, PL235, Angus Energy
Status: Various permissions; well test of Kimmeridge sidetrack unsuccessful
Bury Hill Wood (also known as Leith Hill or Holmwood), Coldharbour Lane, near Dorking, PEDL143, UK Oil & Gas plc
Status: Permissions but site abandoned after renewal of lease refused. Now known as A24. Operatorship transferred from Europa to UKOG, which is finalising new site selection to drill Portland and Kimmeridge prospects
Dunsfold/Loxley, land south of Dunsfold Road and east of High Loxley Road, Surrey, PEDL234, UK Oil & Gas
Status: Planning application for oil and gas exploration and appraisal refused. Second application for alternative access withdrawn.
Horse Hill, near Horley, PEDL 137, Horse Hill Developments Ltd
Status: Permissions for total of six additional production wells and 20 years of production (two conditions remain outstanding) but judicial review expected at Court of Appeal in late 2020; two wells drilled and currently being tested. Horse Hill 1 (HH-1) in production since March. HH-2z extended well test continues and water ingress problem resolved. Planning application submitted to increase site storage.
Trafford
Davyhulme, PEDL193, IGas
Status: Permission granted for 25 years in 2015 but no activity.
West Sussex
Balcombe, Little Stumble, PEDL244, Angus Energy
Status: Short oil flow test carried out in autumn 2018; application submitted for extended flow test and production but withdrawn after objection from Environment Agency.
Broadford Bridge, Adversane Lane, near Billingshurst RH14 9EB, PEDL234, UK Oil & Gas plc
Status: Extension of permission for two years granted in July 2020. Site currently suspended.
Lidsey, near Bognor Regis, PL214, Angus Energy
Status: Oil production
Markwells Wood, near Rowlands Castle, PEDL126, UK Oil & Gas Investments PLC (UKOG)
Status: Abandoned and restored
Singleton , off A286, Cobblers Row to Middlefield, Singleton PO18 0HL PL240, IGas
Status: Producing oil site. IGas seeking formal consent from EA to reinject radioactive waste.
Storrington, Pulborough Road, Storrington, RH20 4HP, PL205, IGas
Status: Producing oil site
Can you help?
DrillOrDrop is looking for more information about these onshore oil and gas sites. If you can help, please get in touch by clicking here
- Dorset: Wytch Farm and Kimmeridge
- Neath-Port Talbot: Foel Fynyddau
- North Yorkshire: Pickering
- Vale of Glamorgan: Cowbridge
- Swansea: Bryntywod, Llangyfelach
- Warrington: Land south east of M6 jct 21, next to the Thelwall viaduct
- Other active or planned sites in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
