Soaring prices could see oil field revived

Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 07:30

The owners of a disused oil field in Lincolnshire want to carry out new tests at the site.

Cirque Energy has applied for permission to carry out some exploratory digging at a former airfield in Fiskerton, near Lincoln.

The field stopped producing oil in 2002 but the firm now has fresh hopes of extracting there again.

Planning officials have been asked to approve new tests. If successful, Cirque Energy could then apply to restart drilling at a site that once pumped out around 50,000 tonnes of oil a year.

Prices have rocketed since the oil field was sealed, making previously neglected sites across the country more attractive to oil firms.

Lincolnshire County Council officers are recommending councillors approve the application.

In a report to councillors Victoria Bankes Price says: “The successful production of hydrocarbons (the basis of crude oil) is nationally important as it can contribute towards the British economy as well as securing domestic supplies, rather than having to rely solely on imported hydrocarbons from often volatile foreign economies.”

But nearby residents and businesses will only support the proposal to test the field again if the work does not affect the local landscape, she says.

For that reason she has recommended that the testing should be limited to one year. After that time Cirque Energy would have to either submit plans to begin production or abandon the site and restore it.

 

Search is on for oil in ex-airfield

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

PLANS that will allow new tests for oil at a disused field have been approved

Councillors backed proposals that will allow oil firm Cirque Energy to carry out the tests at a former airfield in Fiskerton, near Lincoln.

The field stopped producing oil in 2002, four years after planners allowed drilling to go ahead there.

But oil prices have since soared – “ making previously neglected sites across the country more attractive to oil firms.

Lincolnshire County Council approved two linked applications from Cirque Energy at a meeting of its planning and regulation committee. One will allow tests to be carried out at Reepham well on the airfield.

The other will allow tests to be conducted at a nearby oil well on the airfield

Testing will be limited to one year.