IGas plans to drill at two new sites near Graffham and West Dean in West Sussex

IGas have announced that they plan to drill two new wells in West Sussex, one at Graffham near Midhurst and the other at West Dean near Goodwood. An IGas land agent told a public meeting in Graffham that the first well would be at Baxter’s Copse on the edge of the village, but the specific location of the West Dean well was not revealed. Both sites would be within the South Downs National Park.

The agent stated that IGas did not want to frack, and would drill a vertical borehole with no horizontal extensions.  The well at Baxter’s Copse was drilled in the 1980s by Conoco, who discovered oil at the site but abandoned it because it was uncommercial. IGas state on their website that they are interested in shale and CBM, and were the operators of the Barton Moss site.

Leafleting and a public meeting are planned in Graffham sometime in the near future – email info@frackfreesussex if you would like to get involved.