Shale gas sites in Nottinghamshire

Exploratory tests for shale gas have been undertaken at two sites in Nottinghamshire.

Misson Springs, land off Springs Road

Planning permission was granted in May 2017 (Planning Permission Ref: 1/15/01498/CDM) for the development of a hydrocarbon wellsite and drilling of up to two exploratory hydrocarbon wells (one vertically and the other horizontally) on land off Springs Road, Misson.​

A hydrocarbon bearing shale sequence of over 250 metres was encountered with IGas reporting that significant gas was observed throughout the shale section.

After a national moratorium on hydraulic fracturing was enacted by the Government in November 2019, IGas submitted an application to vary to extend the evaluation and restoration period of the site for a further three years until November 2023. This was refused in August 2021.

The site has now been restored with the well pad being removed and the land reinstated to its previous condition.  The groundwater monitoring boreholes have also been plugged, abandoned and restored.

Tinker Lane, near Barnby Moor and Blyth

Drilling at the exploratory shale gas site off the A634 between Barnby Moor and Blyth (Planning Permission Ref: 1/16/00773/CDM) was completed in January 2019.  All drilling equipment was removed from the site with the exception of the well pad and the site entered into an evaluation phase.

IGas subsequently confirmed that a shale interval was encountered but did not include the primary target, the Bowland shale.

Subsequent to this, IGas confirmed that the well would be plugged and abandoned and the site restored back to its original agricultural use.  Restoration works were undertaken during the summer of 2019 and completed in October 2019.