Info17 Oct 2017 17:22
An excerp from Somerset County Council
Oil and gas development
Oil and gas extraction
To date, we have not received any planning applications for oil and gas development - there is no fracking taking place in Somerset.
Fracking is a term commonly used to refer to the process of hydraulic fracturing, where a mixture of water, sand and chemicals are pumped at high pressure through boreholes into gas bearing rocks. The water opens up cracks in the rock, and the sand grains lodge into the spaces allowing gas to be released and travel back along the borehole. In the UK this technique is most commonly associated with shale gas extraction.
Licenced areas in Somerset
The UK Government is responsible for issuing Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs), through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
There are currently eight Petroleum and Exploration Development Licences (PEDLs) blocks in Somerset, signed on 15 September 2016, as a result of the Government’s 14th oil and gas licensing round. All eight are held by South Western Energy Ltd (in three PEDL agreements) and you can view them on an interactive map.
You can find further information on the PEDL agreements in Somerset on the Oil and Gas Authority website:
PEDL320 – covers blocks ST25a, ST35a and ST36*;
PEDL321 – covers blocks ST25b, ST34 and St35b; and
PEDL344 – covers blocks ST04, ST14 and ST24
* ST36 falls within the boundaries of North Somerset
While PEDLs give licence holders exclusive rights to pursue proposals for oil and gas development within the licenced areas, the licence holder will be required to follow existing planning and regulatory processes, including: applying for planning permission; applying for relevant environment permits; and gaining consent to drill from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). The licensee’s proposals will also be subject to scrutiny by the Health and Safety Executive.