|
| |
UPDATE FROM
3 SEPT
 |
STAR ENERGY RIG
NOT AVAILABLE...MEETING DEFERRED
Star Energy's PR spokesperson cancelled the Community
Laison Panel hosted by Albury Parish Counil with the following statement: |
"It became
clear that the rig needed for the appraisal drilling at Albury will not now be
available on the timescale we had hoped. As a key element of next week’s liaison
meeting was to have been an update on the specifics of the site preparation and
mobilisation programme, we feel it would be better to postpone the meeting for
the time being. While we hope it will be only a matter of weeks before the
situation is clear, I cannot at this stage say exactly when, and hope you won’t
mind if I come back to you in due course with a suggested new date for the
meeting. A short delay will also have the benefit of bringing greater clarity to
timing of the application for full gas storage authorisation. "
10 JULY
|
SURREY
COUNTY COUNCIL GRANTS PERMISSION FOR FURTHER APPRAISAL DRILLING IN
ALBURY PARK
|
On 9th July Surrey County Council's
Planning & Regulatory Committee considered Star Energy's planning application for
temporary drilling and appraisal at the Albury wellsite. Committee
members decided to accept the commendation from the
Planning Officers' Report
that permission be granted. In reaching this opinion, Planning
Officers and the Committee have rejected objections from
Guildford Borough Council, Albury Parish Council, East Clandon Parish
Council, Save Blackheath Common (with over 900 members), the Council for
the Protection of Rural England, The British Horse Society, Blackheath
Village Society, Brook Residents Group, the Woodland Trust, the Surrey
Countryside Access Forum and objection letters from 549 local residents.
Verbal representations by campaign members and CPRE at the meeting
highlighted our objections, with support from local Councillors Cllr David Davis and Cllr
Mike Nevins. However, the decision of the committee was decided to grant permission.
Restrictions have been imposed by Surrey
County Council:
Residents and supporters will monitor
these with vigilance to ensure there are no contraventions by Star Energy.
In terms of Star Energy's broader plans for Gas Storage, opposition is
maintained and we await Star’s full application to the Secretary of State in
this respect.
|
DETAILS OF APPRAISAL DRILLING
PLANS FOR ALBURY PARK
The application is for 2 appraisal
drillwells at an expanded Albury Park site. The last
application was withdrawn because of inadequate noise data, so this
application was accompanied by greater details on noise disturbance,
which we vigorously contested.
|
|
PRELIMINARY SUBMISSION FOR GAS STORAGE IN ALBURY GASFIELD
On 25th
July 2007 Star Energy submitted plans to the Secretary of State for
their proposed Albury Gas Storage Project. This preliminary
submission is for a Storage Authorisation Order under the Gas Act
1965.
View the submission The deadline for representations
closed on 31st August 2007 and has been under prolonged
consideration by the Secretary of State's Office. On 2nd May 2008
the Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR)
decided that Star Energy Gas Storage Services Ltd can proceed with a
full, formal application for authorisation under the Gas Act 1965.
Their covering letter makes clear that this is not an
authorisation for the project itself. A formal application involves
a more detailed application, publicity and more extensive
consultation on the proposal and it may involve a public enquiry.
View the BERR response |
SaveBlackheathCommon's objection document
to Gas Storage proposals
Click above for main documement and below for pages of
appendix.
Appendix A contains photographs of current Albury Park
facilities:
(provided to Albury Parish Council & SaveBlackheathCommon by
a concerned resident)
Appendix A Introduction
Appendix A Photopage 1
Appendix A Photopage 2
Appendix A Photopage 3
Appendix A Photopage 4
Appendix A Photopage 5
Appendix A Photopage 6
Appendix A Photopage 7
Appendix A Photopage 8
SUMMARY OF STAR ENERGY'S CURRENT 3
PHASE PLANS
Star Energy currently plans to further appraise the
Albury gasfield by drilling from its existing site in Albury Park. They
also plan to use the Albury gasfield to develop extensive gas storage
facilities. Further details are given below but in summary there are
currently 3 phases of proposed development that will affect Albury Park:
-
APPRAISAL OF ALBURY 2
Star Energy needs two appraisal wells to assess a new "horizon" of
the Albury gasfield. This new horizon is known as "Albury 2" and is
thought to be 4 times bigger than the "Albury 1" horizon that has
already been depleted during the 20 year appraisal.
-
GAS STORAGE OF ALBURY 1
Star Energy now plans to site gas processing facilities at Furze
Copse near Send prison, rather than in Albury Park. However, the gas
storage plans will require the drilling of 4 additional development
wells over 36 weeks from an enlarged site at Albury Park plus a 5
mile pipeline to Furze Copse.
-
GAS STORAGE OF ALBURY 2
If appraisal of Albury 2 confirms expectations, Star Energy will
submit plans to use the Albury 2 horizon for gas storage, hence
increasing storage capacity by up to 500%. This would require the
drilling of an unspecified number of additional wells in the AONB.
.
|
GAS STORAGE OF ALBURY 1
Star Energy's have now submitted plans for gas storage of
the depleted horizon Albury 1. (see top section of this update).
This application has been made directly to the DTI, using the 1965
Gas Act to "fast-track" and circumvent local planning procedures.
Star Energy initially planned to use Albury Park for building their
gas storage processing facility but now seem to realise that this
level of industrialisation is unacceptable in an AONB. At the end
of May, Star Energy revealed that they now plan to build this
facility at Furze Copse 800m east of Send prison.
There would be 5 elements to Phase 1 Gas Storage application:
1. 4 additional development drill wells in Albury Park drilled over
a 24 hour 36 week period
2. pipeline from Albury Park to Furze Copse Gas Processing Facility.
It would start within the park and then cross New Road to the west,
go under the Tillingbourne and follow the Sherbourne before going
under the A248, then under the A25, then north and to the east of
Sherbourne Farm, climbing over the North Downs escarpment close to
the Silent Pool footpath. The pipeline would be 32” diameter and
capable of taking Phases 1 & 2. It requires a 26m construction
width, 5mile long. 1m min depth with 6mth construction and 6m
restoration periods.
3. Pipe storage area (temporary) south of main road at East Clandon.
4. Furze Copse Gas Processing Facility 800m east of perimeter of
Send prison. 10 acre site area with plant occupying 3acres.
5. A further pipeline connection would then run north from the Gas
Processing Facility to the Ripley gas grid connection near Ockham.
Star Energy will commission an Environmental Impact Assessment and
has produced a
detailed EIA scoping report. Star Energy welcomes comments on
the proposed scope to help ensure that the EIA considers all
environmental issues relevant to the project. The scoping document
is available in hard copy and is through the
Star Energy website.
Enquiries & comments should be directed to
Paul Dacombe,
Consents Manager at Star Energy.
|
|
GAS STORAGE OF ALBURY 2
If appraisal of
Albury 2 confirms expectations, Star Energy will submit plans for
phase 2 development of Albury 2 for gas storage. These plans would
utilise the gas processing facility at Furze Copse and the pipeline
from Albury Park to Furze Copse. An additional pipeline would be
required from Furze Copse to Tatsfield to the North West of
Westerham.
Gas storage of Albury 2 would
required an unspecified number of development wells in be drilled,
in addition to the two Albury 2 appraisal wells and four Albury 1
development wells. Each well would take up to 9 weeks to drill and
is likely to cause significant noise disturbance day and night in
the AONB. |
|
What about Blackheath Common ?
Star Energy gave unequivocal reassurance at a meeting of the
Community Liaison Panel on 24th May that they would not drill wells
on Blackheath Common. They have also confirmed this in writing. |
RETURN
TO UPDATE PAGE
|
