Angus Energy Plc announced on 22 January 2018 that it has agreed to acquire a 25% interest in PEDL 244 which contains the Balcombe discovery from Cuadrilla subsidiary Cuadrilla Balcombe Limited. Under the terms of the deal Angus has assumed operatorship of the licence and the company will take forward the fully approved well test programme of the Balcombe-2Z horizontal well. On 9 May 2018 it was announced that following OGA approval from late April 2018, Angus has paid GBP 2 million for the deal. If a successful well test programme is completed, Angus will assume the associated costs of a Field Development Plan (FDP) submission to the OGA.   On 9 January 2018 Cuadrilla announced that it had received approval from West Sussex County Councilâs Planning Committee for the company to flow test and monitor its Balcombe-2Z well in PEDL 244. The company initially submitted an application to undertake this work in 2014. The well requires no hydraulic fracturing due to the rock being naturally fractured. The planning permission runs out in 2021 where Cuadrilla will have needed to had tested, plugged and abandoned the well and restored the site to a suitable condition.  Cuadrilla spudded the appraisal well, Balcombe-2 on 2 August 2013 after several delays on the site due to protesters. The well had a planned vertical depth of 3,000 ft (914 m) with potential to kick-off a 2,500 ft (762 m) horizontal sidetrack. Cuadrilla used the same site that Conoco used in 1986 to drill the Balcombe-1 well. Cuadrilla had no plans to frack the well but initially it was understood that it will use hydrochloric acid to stimulate the reservoir which is Middle Jurassic (Great Oolite) Limestone. On 16 August 2013 operations were temporarily suspended at the site following police advice regarding potential disruptions from protesters (resumed 22 August). On 5 September 2013 the company kicked-off sidetrack Balcombe-2Z. On 23 September 2013 Cuadrilla announced that operations had been completed at the well which encountered oil and gas. The well reached a TD of 2,700 ft (823 m) collecting 294 ft (90 m) of core. The horizontal leg of the well (Balcombe-2Z) was drilled through the Middle Kimmeridge Micrite Limestone for a distance of 1,700 ft (518 m). Cuadrilla was awarded PEDL 244 in 2008 following the 13th Onshore Licensing Round. The licence covers an area of 153 sq km. Conocoâs Balcombe-1 encountered oil shows in the upper of two Middle Kimmeridge micrite units. An open hole DST resulted in no fluids back to surface however, a post acid wash cased hole DST resulted in flow rates of 50 bo/d.   Interest in PEDL 244 following completion of the deal will be held by Angus Energy Plc (25% + operator) Cuadrilla subsidiary Cuadrilla Balcombe Limited (56.25%) and AJ Lucas subsidiary Lucas Bolney Limited (18.75%).
United Kingdom, PEDL 244