Europa Oil and Gas Limited has submitted an application to the Environment Agency seeking an environmental permit to construct a temporary wellsite, known as Cloughton 2, in Burniston, North Yorkshire, England.
The project aims to drill a test borehole to assess the gas potential at the site, expanding on the operator’s existing permissions for long-term oil and gas production in the area.
The Environment Agency has launched a public consultation on the proposal, inviting feedback from local residents and interested groups.
The consultation, which began last month, will be open until 19 September.
Consultation documents and instructions on how to respond are available on the Environment Agency’s Citizen Space webpage, and responses can be submitted electronically.
According to Kathryn Richardson, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency: “Our regulatory controls for the onshore oil and gas industry are in place to protect people and the environment.
“We will carry out a rigorous assessment of the permit application and would encourage the public and interested groups to get in touch with comments on local environmental factors that people feel are important.”
The Environment Agency has clarified that it can only refuse a permit if the application fails to meet legal requirements, such as having an unacceptable impact on the environment or causing harm to human health.
If all requirements are satisfied, the agency is legally obliged to issue the permit.
The proposed wellsite would use a technique known as well stimulation, or proppant squeeze, which is designed to increase the efficiency of gas flow from the reservoir rock to the well.
Environmental permit conditions would require measures to minimise risk to people and the environment.
Individuals wishing to participate in the consultation are encouraged to review the documentation online before submitting comments electronically or by email.
