Author Archive

Angus Energy’s planning application for its illegally sidetracked well was registered on 8th March with the Surrey County Council and the documents are available on the Surrey County Council website.

The application is for the retention of the BRX4 well, the regularisation of the BRX4Z sidetrack, and the appraisal of BRX4Z using production plant and equipment within the existing site, for a temporary period of three years (part retrospective).

The application has SCC Reference 2017/0215. The application is expected to go to the 23 May Planning and Regulatory Committee. Please make your objections before then.

There is already activity on site and Surrey County Council has said: “We were expecting Angus to undertake some further works in connection with BRX2 – when our Enforcement Officer visited the site earlier in the month he was told that a further crane would be needed. We are seeking currently clarification from Angus’ representative. As you know, however, Angus do have planning permission to undertake works associated with BRX2.”

Read more about Angus’s plans for Brockham on the Drill or Drop website

Brockham Oil Watch

Environmental permit consultation drop-in event, 15 March 

The Environment Agency has re-scheduled the public ‘drop-in’ event it’s holding as part of its consultation on a permit application for Leith Hill.

The public information event (originally scheduled for 2nd March but postponed because of the snow) will take place between 2pm and 7.30pm, Thursday 15 March 2018 at Dorking Halls (Martineau Hall), Reigate Road, Dorking  RH4 1SG.

Visitors will be able to discuss the application and the process being followed to determine it, and talk to Environment Agency representatives about how they regulate oil and gas activities.

Due to this event being rescheduled the consultation period has also been extended by 2 weeks with a new closing date of 29 March 2018 .

The consultation is on the application by Europa Oil & Gas Limited for a bespoke environmental permit, which is currently being considered by the Environment Agency. Please make your objections before 29 March at
https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/rh6-6hn-europa-oil-and-gas-limited/

A petition asking the Environment Agency to reject the application now has more than 102,000 signatures. Please add your name if you haven’t already. It will be handed in at the consultation at 6.30pm.

Lecture and Q&A, 15 March

Come and listen to Professor David Smythe, who spent 15 years working at the British Geological Survey, explaining why he would never have advised his clients to drill on Leith Hill, even without considering the danger to our water supply.

The lecture is on Thursday 15 March from 7:45 to 9:45 at the Friends Meeting House, Butter Hill, Dorking, RH4 2LE. Tickets here. Bring come and bring your friends .

Help fund a technical submission to the Environment Agency

Local campaigners A Voice for Leith Hill are crowdfunding to cover the baseline costs for Professor Smythe to make a technical submission to the Environment Agency consultation, to compliment the hydrogeology work currently in progress. Please donate if you can.

UK Oil and Gas (and its family of companies) has applied to the High Court for an injunction which effectively stops any campaigning that affects its ECONOMIC interests.

However the draft injunction goes on to aim to prevent lawful “combining together” “where the predominant intention is to injure the claimant’s economic interests”.

Read the rest of this entry >>

Fracking under the radar? is a new leaflet about acidising from The Weald Action Group (WAG). WAG is an umbrella group supporting the many community groups across the South East who oppose the growing presence of the oil and gas industry in the region. They all share concerns about the techniques this industry proposes to use in as yet untapped, unyielding sections of the geology under our feet.

The leaflet explains the oil or gas extraction method known as ‘acidisation’ or ‘acidising’, which, like fracking, is a ‘stimulation technique’ designed to release oil or gas tightly trapped inside the pores of rocks. While fracking is used to crack open shale, acidising is used to dissolve passageways through limestone or sandstone.

Acidising uses far higher concentrations of chemicals than fracking, and brings similar risks for local people, animals and the environment.

This short leaflet, intended mainly for local people and councillors, explains in simple terms how acidising works at different strengths and pressures, and why this kind of oil exploration will give rise to a very large number of wells across the South East.

For more information on this advanced well stimulation technique please see our page About Acidisation

To order copies of ‘Fracking Under the Radar‘ leaflets, please contact info[at]wealdactiongroup.org.uk.

When: Sunday 25th March

Where: Meet outside Dorking Station (if coming by train) or at Leith Hill Protection Camp (if coming by car)

What time: At Dorking station between 10.30 and 11am. Or Leith Hill Protection Camp at 11am

What: South-East Unconventional Drill Site ‘Tour’ of Balcombe, Broadford Bridge, Brockham, Horse Hill, and Leith Hill

Who: You! Please bring food & flask. Wear warm waterproof clothing with stout footwear (its muddy!).

Following some successful gatherings to garner support at individual drill sites, this is the first combined tour aimed at helping activists and residents near local sites to see how best we can support local communities.

Do come to get an idea of what the oil industry is preparing to do on your doorstep. First stop is Leith Hill Protection Camp, where there is a meet and greet, and then on to the other sites.

RSVP

The event is free but please register to aid planning.

• www.facebook.com/events/605353503140115/
• www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/solidarity-sunday-and-tour-of-weald-drill-sites-tickets-43131099279
• or email info@frackfreesussex.co.uk

Europa Oil and Gas is keen to get started on the exploratory drill at Leith Hill as their planning permission expires in August.

So they need Surrey County Council to approve their traffic management plan for the site (which involves hundreds of HGV movements in a narrow and historic sunken lane with protected trees on each side).

The latest (12th!) version of the plan is now open for public consultation. Please read it and send in your comments by 7 February.

As this is a new application (because Europa are taking the previous one to appeal), you need to write in again, even if you have done so before.

Local campaign groups Leith Hill Action Group and A Voice for Leith Hill have both published advice on how to respond – read them here:

• Advice from Leith Hill Action Group
• A Voice for Leith Hill’s template with points you might like to make

Horse Hill Developments Ltd have submitted their plans in response to the eight conditions attached to their planning permission for a further three years of oil drilling and related activity. They can’t start work until these plans are all approved.

These documents are out for consultation. Please read and send the Council your views by 5 February 2018.

• 18/00012/CON (Transport Management Plan)
• 18/00013/CON (Noise Mitigation Scheme)
• 18/00014/CON (Noise Monitoring Plan)
• 18/00015/CON (Lighting Scheme)
• 18/00016/CON (Surface Water Drainage Scheme)
• (18/00017/CON) Ecological Mitigation Scheme)
• 18/00018/CON (Dust Management Plan) and
• 18/00019/CON (Landscape and Restoration Plan).

Thank you to local campaign group A Voice for Leith Hill for this update.

The threatened drill on Leith Hill is now embroiled in a fast moving set of legal proceedings.

Europa Oil and Gas is keen to get on with it as their planning permission for the 18 week exploratory drill expires in August. So they’re challenging Surrey County Council for – they claim – unreasonably delaying a decision on the Traffic Management Plan for the site. The Plan involves hundreds of HGV movements in a narrow and historic sunken lane with protected trees on each side. The courts could sidestep the democratic process, which is what Europa will be hoping.

Europa has also resubmitted the Traffic Management Plan to Surrey County Council. Please comment here by February 7th

Read the rest of this entry >>

The petition calling on the Environment Agency not to grant environmental permits for proposed oil drilling at Leith Hill has more than 88,000 signatures.

The Environment Agency is still considering the permit applications. If you haven’t signed the petition yet, please do – and share the link: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/protect-leith-hill

Meanwhile, the oil companies continue to push their plans to drill in Surrey. This week:

• UKOG announced they will seek consent for production and extra wells at Horse Hill. They already have planning permission for extended flow testing of the existing well and drilling of two new wells.
• Angus Energy submitted a new planning application for Brockham.

We wish a very merry festive season to all those fighting to defend our countryside, our communities and our planet from this dangerous and completely pointless industry.

With evidence piling up that we need to move away from fossil fuels with great urgency, it is hard to understand why these gamblers are allowed to pursue their plans to extract oil that we simply can’t afford to use.

Here’s hoping for a saner and safer world in 2018.

Campaigners in Leith Hill have set up a petition calling on the Environment Agency to reject permit applications which would allow oil and gas exploration at the beauty spot.

They are also calling on the EA to substantially extend and strengthen the water monitoring regime related to onshore oil and gas operations.

Read more and sign the petition at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect-leith-hill-in-surrey-from-the-risk-of-water-contamination-from-planned-oil-drilling-1