Rathlin Energy’s West Newton oil and gas site, June 2019. Photo: Used with the owner’s consent
Last updated 4/4/2022
Key facts
Address: West Newton A wellsite, Fosham Road, High Fosham, HU11 5DF
Planning applications: Original application 12/04193/STPLF granted in January 2013. Application to extend permission until 21 December 15/03056/STVAR granted on 26 November 2015. Further application 18/02924/CM to extend permission until granted on 15 November 2018 until 19 November 2021. New application 21/02464/STFUL is for six new wells, production and site expansion refused 30 September 2021. Revised application for four wells, production and expansion approved
Operator: Rathlin Energy
Licence: PEDL183
Status: Mobilisation of drilling equipment
Conductor rig at Rathlin Energy’s West Newton A well site north of Hull, 20 January 2019. Photo: Peter Yankowski
Timeline
27 March 2021
Councillor asks minister to review West Newton-A production plans. Details
17 March 2022
Breaking: 20 years of oil production approved. Details Campaigners week review of decision. Details
14 December 2022
Councillors hear arguments over West Newton-A production again. Details
9 March 2022
Planners back Rathlin Energy’s West Newton oil plans. Details
8 March 2022
Questions over Rathlin Energy’s oil and gas production plans at West Newton. Details
17 January 2022
West Newton modelling predicts single gas well could top many North Sea fields. Details
6 January 2022
Revised production plans published for West Newton-A oil and gas site – what’s different. Details
30 December 2021
Rathlin posts notice of revised application for West Newton-A production. Details
3 December 2021
More details revealed of Rathlin Energy’s scaled-back expansion plans at West Newton-A oil and gas site in East Yorkshire. Details
1 December 2021
Enforcement at Rathlin Energy oil site not “proportionate or sustainable” despite planning breach, says council. Details
26 November 2021
Rathlin Energy to revise major production plans for West Newton well site. Details
25 November 2021
Rathlin Energy seeks environmental consent for West Newton oil production despite planning refusal. Details
30 September 2021
Breaking: councillors reject expansion plans for West Newton-A. Details
Campaigners celebrate refusal of planning permission. Details
29 September 2021
Former council executive accuses East Yorkshire of failing to disclose key information on oil site expansion. Details
27 September 2021
Councillors hear key arguments over West Newton expansion. Details
22 September 2021
East Yorkshire planners back major West Newton oil site expansion despite 1,000+ objections. Details
15 September 2021
Rathlin Energy and East Riding of Yorkshire Council refuse to disclose initial expansion plans for West Newton A and B sites. Details
7 September 2021
Fossil Free East Yorkshire urge councillors to refuse “fundamentally flawed” expansion plans for West Newton-A. Details
19 August 2021
Councils’ joint fight against Rathlin Energy expansion and production plan. Details
16 August 2021
Councillors ask Rathlin Energy for community fund from West Newton-A. Details
13 July 2021
East Yorkshire oil production plan is “utter madness”, say opponents of West Newton-A scheme. Details
Application details published. DrillOrDrop report
21 June 2021
Rathlin posts notice of application for long-term production and site expansion at West Newton-A. Details
5 June 2021
Rathlin pledges to cut daily tankers numbers in production plan for West Newton-A. Details
20 May 2021
More delay on ministerial ruling on environmental impact assessment for West Newton A expansion plans. Details
EA defends permit changes at West Newton-A. Details
18 May 2021
Call for suspension of permit changes at West Newton-A. Details
8 April 2021
East Riding of Yorkshire Council agrees to further road closure order for 18 months. Details
22 March 2021
Rathlin Energy criticised over online consultation of West Newton-A expansion plans. Details
1 March 2021
Local government secretary asked to rule on whether West Newton-A expansion and production plans need an environmental impact assessment Details
12 February 2021
East Riding of Yorkshire Council urged to rethink on ruling on West Newton-A drilling and production plans. Details
26 January 2021
West Newton-A expansion: Report discloses plans for 90 weeks of drilling. Details
22 January 2021
Rathlin Energy reveals plans for six new wells at West Newton A and an application for 20 years of production at the site. Details
16 June 2020
Union Jack promotes “green credentials” of future oil production from West Newton. Details
26 May 2020
Reabold increases stake in West Newton licence. Details
27 April 2020
West Newton A permit changes approved. Details
2 March 2020
Bid published to change permit for West Newton well test. Details
20 February 2020
Revised well test plan submitted for West Newton A. Details
2 February 2020
Revised well test plan submitted for West Newton-A, says Union Jack Oil. Details
23 December 2019
Campaigners question statements on West Newton-A2 well test. Details
12 November 2019
West Newton lock-on trial collapses. Details
11 November 2019
Focus at West Newton A switches to oil with upgraded data on oil in place. Details
12 September 2019
East Riding of Yorkshire Council grants planning consent for 199 tonnes of crude oil to be stored at West Newton-A site
29 August 2019
Rathlin Energy confirms suspension of well test following oil find. Details
28 August 2019
Equipment leaves West Newton well site
22 August 2019
First day of West Newton well test prompts smell complaints. Details
Reabold Resources increases stake in West Newton licence. Details
12 August 2019
Rathlin Energy begins mobilising workover rig and other equipment for testing the West Newton-A2 well. Details
Deliveries delayed by a lorry surfing protest.
Rig surf protest outside Rathlin Energy’s West Newton-A wellsite in East Yorkshire, 12 August 2019. Photo: West Newton Gateway to the Gasfields
6 August 2019
New operations approved for West Newton oil and gas site, including cold venting and acid squeeze. Details
Roads to close for up to two months as testing begins at West Newton. Details
5 August 2019
Campaigner remanded in custody. Details
10 June 2019
East Riding of Yorkshire Council closes road for 21 days. 3-person lock-on protest blocks access. Details
24 July 2019
Rathlin seeks consent from East Yorkshire Council for oil storage at West Newton. Details
26 June 2019
Rig leaves West Newton well site. Details
17 June 2019
Investor at West Newton describes it as “potentially UK’s largest onshore hydrocarbon discovery since 1973”. Details
13 June 2019
Road closure at West Newton drilling site extended up to 18 months. Details
6 June 2019
Lorry protest ends after 27 hours. Details
3 June 2019
Two-person lock-on protest begins at 4am. Lasts until 2am on 5 June. Details
23 May 2019
Eviction of monitoring camps costs East Riding of Yorkshire Council £33,983.34. Complaints about noise of drilling at the site. Details
26 April 2019
West Newton A-2 well spudded at 1.45am. Details
13 April 2019
Rathlin Energy reports that operations will be suspended pending the arrival of additional equipment. Details
10 April 2019
8-hour lock on protest. Details
8 April 2019
Lorry protest as rig is delivered. Details
25 March 2019
Rig contract signed for West Newton well. Details
22 March 2019
Second eviction outside West Newton-A well site. Details
Conductor rig installed at Rathlin Energy’s West Newton A well site in East Yorkshire, 8 January 2018. Photo: still from video by West Newton Gateway to the Gas Fields group
20 February 2019
East Riding of Yorkshire Council rejects community appeal against eviction of monitoring station at West Newton A. Details
23 January 2019
Fire crews called to “minor incident”. DrillOrDrop report
22 January 2019
East Riding of Yorkshire Council confirms it has sought an eviction order against the monitoring station. Details
14 January 2019
Consultation begins on application to vary environmental permit. Details
8 January 2019
Conductor rig installed. DrillOrDrop report
5 January 2019
Opponents establish monitoring and information station at West Newton-A. DrillOrDrop report
4 December 2018
First delivery to West Newton-A
30 November 2018
Rathlin announces start date for work at West Newton-A. DrillOrDrop report
15 November 2018
Councillors approve second application for 36-month extension. DrillOrDrop report
8 November 2018
Rathlin Energy accounts show the company owes £33.9m, “casting doubt” over its viability. DrillOrDrop report
7 November 2018
Officials recommend second extension of planning permission. DrillOrDrop report
4 September 2018
Rathlin Energy application for a further 36-month extension at West Newton-A. DrillOrDrop report
26 November 2015
Planning consent for West Newton-A extended for an additional 36 months (decision date 21 December 2015) DrillOrDrop report
5 October 2015
Rathlin Energy describes West Newton-A gas discovery as “very encouraging” DrillOrDrop report
19 February 2015
Investigation underway into breaches at West Newton-A drill site. DrillOrDrop report
November 2014
Well testing completed at West Newton-A
12 August 2014
Opponents report that Rathlin Energy carried out a mini-frack. Link
July 2014
First well test at West Newton-A
September 2013
Drilling completed of well at West Newton-A
27 June 2013
West Newton-A well spudded
March 2013
Site construction began at West Newton-A
17 January 2013
Original planning permission for West Newton-A granted for 36 months
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