Plans unveiled for England’s first floating wind farm at EDF Renewables’ Blyth site
EDF Renewables aims to support the “further development” off floating offshore wind in the UK after it confirmed plans to deploy the technology in the North Sea.
England
Total agrees deal to sell Lindsey refinery
Total has signed an agreement to sell the Lindsey refinery to independent British conglomerate Prax Group.
Sale of most polluting wood and coal burned at home to be phased out
The sale of the most polluting fuels burned in household stoves and open fires will be phased out from next year in England to clean up the air, the Government has said.
London finds no easy answers after once-in-a-decade blackout
When two U.K. power plants shut down almost simultaneously in London’s first major blackout for a decade, it triggered a storm of questions about how to avoid another failure.
Angus Energy makes potential discovery at the Brockham field
Angus Energy said hydrocarbons have been discovered at the Brockham field in England.
Anti-fracking campaigners lose landmark case to prevent drilling in Yorkshire
Campaigners have lost their landmark High Court challenge against one of the first planning applications to carry out fracking in England.
Campaigners to hear high court ruling in anti-fracking challenge
Campaigners learn today whether they have won a legal challenge against one of the first planning applications to carry out fracking in England.
Pro-shale group launched in England
A new pro-shale gas group has been launched in England.
Ineos said to be planning up to 30 applications for fracking
Petrochemicals giant Ineos is said to be planning to lodge as many as 30 applications to drill test wells in the next six months, according to reports.
Siemens to recruit 100 jobs for wind turbine factory but halts UK investment after Brexit
Siemens is recruiting for another 100 jobs at its new wind turbine blade factory in England.
Norvento begins construction of 200kW wind turbines
Norvento has begun construction on a 200kW twin turbine site at Shoreham Port on the UK’s South Coast.
UK Oil & Gas hit ‘significant’ flow rates at Horse Hill
UK Oil & Gas said it has had significant flow rates from its Horse Hill discovery.
EDF sets up base for Hinkley Point C project workers
Energy giant EDF has leased offices to provide a base for a large part of the project team working on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.
Union Jack Oil strikes farm-in deal with Egdon Resources
Union Jack Oil has entered into an agreement with Egdon Resources to farm-in to the conventional prospects of PEDL209 containing the Laughton Prospect. The company said under the terms of the agreement, it will pay 16.67% of the costs of the Laughton-1 well.
MP resigns from committee over fracking funding concerns
An MP has resigned from his position on a government committee after it was revealed it had been given funding from companies involved with fracking. Kevin Hollinrake has stepped down as the vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Commmittee on Unconventional Oil and Gas.
Anti-fracking protesters moved from IGas testing site
Campaigners who had launched a protest on a test drilling site in England have been removed. Six people were arrested during an operation to remove a group of anti-fracking protesters from a test drilling site.
INEOS to look for fracking opportunities in Cheshire and East Midlands
A number of wells could be drilled in locations across north-west England by 2017, according to reports. The Northwich Guardian said the move could pave the way by INEOS for fracking operations.
Pound traders see no 2016 BOE rate increase amid low oil prices
Investors in the pound have waited more than six years for the Bank of England to raise interest rates and bolster the UK currency. With money markets signaling no move next year, it looks like they may have longer to wait.
Enbridge joins Rampion offshore wind project
Enbridge has joined the Rampion offshore wind project by acquiring a 24.9% interest, becoming one of three shareholders in the plans. E.ON will remain as the controlling shareholder with a 50.1% interest while GIB (Green Investment Bank) will continue to hold a 25% stake. Adrian Scholtz, head of renewables at KPMG and lead advisor on the deal, said it highlighted a “growing global appetite” for offshore win.
Egdon presses ahead with English oil and gas discovery
Egdon Resources is to press ahead with its plans for the Wressle oil and gas discovery located to the east of Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, England .
Scotland leads the way in onshore wind, while England surges ahead in offshore
Scotland is taking the lead in Britain as it forges ahead with deploying onshore wind, according to new findings by Renewable UK. The report “Wind Energy in the UK” says although England is missing out on some of the economic benefits of onshore wind it is trailblazing ahead in the offshore wind sector. More than 60% of UK onshore wind projects are now installed and operational in Scotland generating an annual turnover of £211million. The overall turnover for the UK as a whole was £402million – with Scotland bringing in more than half of that revenue.
Fracking could be ‘bridge’ to low carbon future, shale gas taskforce says
The Government should invest revenues from UK shale gas production in research and development of renewables and low carbon technology, it has been urged. Shale gas, which is extracted through controversial fracking, could play a role as a “bridge” to a low carbon future, Lord Chris Smith said as the task force on shale gas he chairs published a report on the climate impacts of the fuel. But to minimise its impact and to ensure it does not hinder the development of renewables, the Government needs to invest the revenues it received from energy taxes and royalties into research and development of low carbon technology. The money could give more of a push to areas such as battery storage, which allows power from intermittent renewables to be stored until it is needed, and to technologies including wave and tidal power which need to be developed, he said.
Egdon Resources sees promising results from Wressle-1
Egdon Resources has revealed encouraging results from the pumped test carried out at the Wressle-1 oil and gas discovery in licence PEDL180 in England. The company said assessments carried out over the Penistone flags zone 3A showed a production rate of more than 180 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Previous initial testing at the Ashover Grit, the Wingfield Flags and the Pensitone Flags had been carried out but due to a problem with downhole testing equipment, test operations were switched to focus on the shallower Penistone region.
Egdon Resources flows more pay from Wressle-1
Egdon Resources said it had flowed more oil from its Wressle-1 discovery in England. The company said the results from the second Penistone Flags flow test at licence PEDL180 in the East Midlands were “very positive”. Zone 3a in the Penistone Flags was perforated over a 7.5metre interval and produced good quality oil with a gravity of 33o API. Mark Abbott, managing director of Egdon Resources, said: “The results from Wressle continue to be very positive.
UK Government approves offshore wind project
An offshore wind project which could support up to 900 jobs and millions of pounds of investment has been given the go-ahead. The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck A and B wind project will include up to 400 wind turbines around 130 kilometre off the coast of the East Riding of Yorkshire. With a maximum capacity of 2400MW it will generate enough electricity to power almost two million homes once built.