Colter Oil Drill.
I’ve not been a fan of the Colter Drill. I think it’s the wrong
drill in the wrong place. I’ve also been sceptical that the drill will happen
in the next few weeks.
Well, I’ve been doing some digging, talking to people. Just
investigating as I think the companies involved are being deliberately
misleading in not releasing information concerning the potential abandonment of
the drill for now.
For clarity, Colter has considerable local opposition, it
lies only a few thousand metres away from a world heritage site and just
outside one of the world’s largest natural harbours.
The EIS for the Colter drill is therefore considerable and
complicated. It contains very specific information concerning the start date of
the drill and conditions around it.
A main condition surrounds the timing of the drill and a commitment
for drilling operations to take place in the winter months, with an anticipated
start date in November.
It is thought now that the earliest the drill can start is
Feb, with a required 2 weeks notice given in the EIS.
I have been contacting local organisations as well as the
BEIS (regulatory sign off authority) to get a better handle on whether or not
the drill might still go ahead.
Local organisations are adamant that the drill will no
longer go ahead, the BEIS have said that they are currently in communication
with the operator but haven’t yet been given a change of drill date.
If/When
they get a change of drill date they have said that a new Environmental
Assessment will need to be undertaken.
Given all the above, my understanding is that Colter will no
longer take place. Instead it will be postponed until 2019/2020 at the earliest. A plan B seems to be a small marine vehicle to undertake a VSP, this
was submitted for BEIS approval on the 4th of Jan 2019.
It is my opinion that an onshore development for oil extraction at Colter would take 3-4 years, if approved at all.
If your betting on Colter taking place then good luck.
HI, you mention in your post 'A plan B seems to be a small marine vehicle to undertake a VSP, this was submitted for BEIS approval on the 4th of Jan 2019'.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can see on the BEIS site this is the Consent to Undertake a Geophysical Survey (Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP)) which is using the ENSCO 72 and is exactly the same as that approved on Wick which you can see if you flick between 2018 and 2019:
hTTps://itportal.beis.gov.uk/eng/fox
Doesn't seem therefore to be any new plan there and in fact just the same as Wick. Have you got any other information you can share on this?
It's been confirmed today, the rig is going to Colter next.
ReplyDeleteYes and all permits now assproved
Delete