September 2021 headlines
Keep up with September 2021’s news with our digest of daily updated headlines about the business, regulation and campaigns around UK fracking, shale, and onshore oil and gas.
“Saltfleetby gas field on track for December” – Angus Energy
Angus Energy says its gas field at Saltfleetby in Lincolnshire is “on track for re-commissioning” in December2021.
Charges dropped against Horse Hill protesters
Four people who took part in a protest at the Horse Hill oil site in Surrey in June have said their actions have been vindicated after charges were dropped.
Ineos awarded drilling permits in Texas shale
Official documents confirm that an Ineos company has been awarded permits to drill the Texas shale.
Angus looks to sell Brockham after sidetrack found “uncommercial” without fracking
Angus Energy has said it is in talks to sell its stake in an oil production licence in Surrey after revealing that a controversial sidetrack well was unlikely to flow commercially without extra stimulation.
Guest post: Liability lottery of onshore decommissioning
Who pays for clean-ups and decommissioning if an onshore operator goes bust? It’s a question that is concerning MPs and landowners. In this guest post, researcher and anti-fracking campaigner, Ben Dean, looks at the rules for decommissioning and argues for tougher controls.
Diary of a shale gas commissioner
The shale gas commissioner, Natascha Engel, who resigned last night, had more than twice as many appointments with business than residents, according to government records. But we won’t know what she discussed with fracking companies because she reportedly deleted emails and meeting notes.
“Fracking will struggle if it doesn’t solve landowner liability for clean-up”
The shale gas industry was warned today it must tackle the problem of who pays for decommissioning if the operator goes out of business.
Plans published for four more wells and 20 years of oil production at Horse Hill, Surrey
The expected planning application for four production wells at the Horse Hill oil site near Gatwick has been published.
Investigation: Beauty spot oil well releases hundreds of tonnes of methane into the atmosphere
A small oil well on the world heritage coast in Dorset is legally allowed to emit hundreds of tonnes of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, annually direct into the atmosphere.
DRILL OR DROP? 