UK Rathlin Eyes Further Yorkshire Wells

UK explorer Rathlin Energy has asked the administrative body for the East Riding of Yorkshire for a preliminary opinion on two new potential onshore hydrocarbon wellsites, West Newton C and West Newton D, it said August 20. Its West Newton A & B sites are already approved and being developed as conventional fields without hydraulic fracturing.

"This is the first step of the planning process to further explore and appraise the West Newton hydrocarbon field and will determine whether planning application submissions for West Newton C and West Newton D will require environmental impact assessments," the operator said.

The West Newton prospect borders a "thriving cluster of world-scale chemical and energy operations" in the Humber estuary. The cluster relies on oil and gas imports which come at a higher cost to the UK and with an increased carbon footprint, Rathlin said. "The Zero Carbon Humber energy and chemicals cluster has been identified by the UK government as a funding recipient to develop the world’s first carbon neutral (net zero) industrial cluster by 2040." it said. 

Rathlin said it would undertake public consultation on the proposed development over the coming months and ahead of the submission of any formal planning applications. Its partners are Reabold Resources and Union Jack.