Update: 18th August 2015: Today the government has announced where new PEDL licences will be awarded and where Appropriate Assessments need to be made in relation to the Habitats Directive. There are no new licences to be awarded in the Chew Valley and no Appropriate Assessments pending. However there a number of areas in West Somerset and in East Somerset and Salisbury Plain where a consultation is now ongoing. More details to follow…
Update: In May 2015 the last remaining PEDL (227) was relinquished by UK Methane. We await the outcome of the 14th Onshore Licensing Round to find out if any parts of Somerset will be licensed for petroleum exploration and development.
In March 2015 only PEDL 227 is still current, covering Ston Easton, Midsomer Norton etc.
The following is out of date, see above.
Petroleum Exploration and Development Licenses are issused by the Department for Energy and Climate Change under powers granted by the Petroleum Act 1998. The current licenses were issued during a licensing round in 2008.
Existing Petroleum Exploration and Development Licenses.
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2013
A further licensing round is in the offing to cover other areas of the UK.
The PEDL licenses allow the holder to explore for and develop unconventional gas – to “search for, bore and get hydrocarbons” subject to access rights, planning permission, environment and health & safety permits.
Existing PEDL licenses in Somersete.
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2013
The PEDL licenses in Somerset are held jointly by UK Methane Ltd and Eden Energy (450 km2). The two sourthern blocks are held by a company called Fairfax (200 km2).
Whether a community may be impacted by either coalbed methane or shale gas exploration and production depends on being within a PEDL, the local geology and relevant planning concent.
The communities which occur within the current PEDL licence areas are as follows:
Communities within the current PEDL licence areas
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2013
List of Somerset communities within the current PEDL licence areas:
| Belluton |
| Bishop Sutton |
| Bishopsworth |
| Bitton |
| Blagdon |
| Burnett |
| Butcombe |
| Camerton |
| Carlingcott |
| Charlton |
| Chelwood |
| Chew Magna |
| Chew Stoke |
| Chewton Keynsham |
| Chewton Mendip |
| Chilcompton |
| Clandown |
| Clutton |
| Coleford |
| Compton Dando |
| Compton Martin |
| Corston |
| Dundry |
| East Harptree |
| Emborough |
| Farmborough |
| Farrington Gurney |
| Gurney Slade |
| Hallatrow |
| High Littleton |
| Hinton Blewett |
| Holcombe |
| Hunstrete |
| KEYNSHAM |
| Kilmersdon |
| Litton |
| Marksbury |
| MIDSOMER NORTON |
| Nempnett Thrubwell |
| Nettlebridge |
| North Wick |
| North Widcombe |
| Norton Hawkfield |
| Norton Malreward |
| Paulton |
| Pensford |
| Priston |
| Queen Charlton |
| RADSTOCK |
| Regil |
| Saltford |
| South Widcombe |
| Stanton Drew |
| Stanton Prior |
| Stanton Wick |
| Ston Easton |
| Stowey |
| Stratton-on-the-Fosse |
| Swineford |
| Temple Cloud |
| Timsbury |
| Upton Cheyney |
| West Harptree |
| Whitchurch |
Frack Free Chew Valley, Somerset 
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