14th Landward Licensing Round - Four blocks of land licenced for Coal Bed Methane exploitation in Herefordshire/Forest of Dean/Gloucestershire area

14th Landward Licensing Round - Four blocks of land licenced for Coal Bed Methane exploitation in Herefordshire/Forest of Dean/Gloucestershire area

 Map of the area in S Herefordshire/Gloucestershire/Forest of Dean affected by this can be found HERE.  These four licences allow the operator to drill  in each area to extract Coal Based Methane (CBM). 
Certain processes capture native hydrocarbons, which originate in coal seams. The exploitation of these require permission from the Coal Authority (for access to the coal) and a licence from DECC (for capture of the hydrocarbons). The processes include Coal Bed Methane (CBM) which liberates native methane from virgin coal seams and vent gas (also called mines gas) which captures methane from working or disused mines.

The licences have been given to 

Partners	SOUTH WESTERN ENERGY LIMITED
Contact	Mr Gerwyn Williams
Address	Unit 9 Bridgend Gusiness Center, Bridgend, CF31 3SH
e-mail	info@transgas.co.uk

 From the Oil and Gas Authority website today 17th Dec 2015.

"On 17 December 2015, the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) announced that licences for a total of 159 blocks were formally offered to successful applicants under the 14th Onshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round
The 14th Onshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round was launched on 28 July 2014 and closed on 28 October 2014. A total of 95 applications were received from 47 companies covering 295 Ordnance Survey Blocks. Following scrutiny of the applicants’ competency, financial viability, environmental awareness and geotechnical analysis, and following the decision not to award licences in Scotland and Wales, 159 blocks were taken forward for further consideration.
In August 2015, the OGA announced its intention to offer licences covering 27 blocks. These blocks did not require further environmental assessment under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (the Habitats Regulations). At this time, the OGA launched a consultation relating to a further 132 blocks that were subjected to further detailed assessment in accordance with the Habitats Regulations, and a public consultation on that assessment was carried out. Following the conclusion of the consultation process, the OGA is now satisfied that the approval of the 14th Licensing Round, and the award of each of the licences under the Round, will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of any protected European site. As a result, the OGA is offering licences for a total of 159 blocks. For 75 of these blocks, the licence will contain a condition that prohibits all or specific activities in parts of the block.
Details of the offers to successful applicants are provided below.

• 14th Onshore Licensing Round Offers by Operator (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 24.9KB)

• 14th Onshore Licensing Round contact details (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 12.4KB)

• Map showing blocks offered under 14th Onshore Licensing Round (PDF, 1.18MB, 1 page)

This interactive map has been produced by the OGA to assist companies and members of the public with information that will help them understand oil and gas exploration and production activity onshore in Great Britain including those areas already under licence and those areas offered under the OGA’s 14th Onshore Licensing Round."