UK Oil & Gas plc (UKOG) plans to switch to international, geothermal and hydrogen projects after being refused permission to appraise and test the Arreton oil and gas discovery on the Isle of Wight.
RESEARCH
Arreton lies within the 200 km² PEDL331 in which the company holds a 95% operated interest and a two-year extension July 2023.
The local authority planning committee’s refusal yesterday to approve two exploratory boreholes went against last week’s recommendation by planning officers to grant permission.
“The company took considerable care and undertook much research to minimise the potential impacts of the A-3 site, choosing a location 300m distant from the A3056 and adjacent to land with existing non-agricultural commercial uses, namely the Wight Farm anaerobic digestion energy power station and the Blackwater Quarry for aggregates,” said UKOG in a statement.
“No objections to the development were raised by statutory consultees on environmental, drinking water, landscape or health and safety grounds.”
The company is considering whether to lodge an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.
“This decision underscores UKOG’s change of focus over the past year towards the international arena for oil and gas, plus its new direction into geothermal and hydrogen-based energy in the UK,” added chief executive Stephen Sanderson.
“In accordance with the company’s stated growth strategy, plans and evaluations are reasonably advanced in several new projects designed to grow the company in these new areas.”