UK Oil & Gas Investments (LON:UKOG) is studying whether it can make its Horse Hill development barely visible if it gets to the production stage.
A new conceptual study of the prospect in the south of England’s Weald Basin has suggested the well pad for the prospect would have a “significantly lower visual profile than existing UK and Weald oil developments”.
Development would be through a multi-well pad with 12 horizontal production wells delivering around 2,500 barrels of oil per day at peak production, plus an associated production processing facility site.
Nothing of the well pad would show above ground as wellheads and manifolds would be below ground level in a cellar while pumps would be down-hole, the study suggested.
Horse Hill, nicknamed the Gatwick Gusher due to its proximity to the airport, hit the headlines earlier this year on suggestions it might be one of the UK's largest ever onshore discoveries.
Today, UKOG added the Xodus study was conceptual and not an indication of any commercial oil at Horse Hill or over other of its assets in the Weald and Purbeck-Wight basins.
UKOG has interests in nine licences, with a further two subject to approval. It said it was keen to preserve the rural way of life and beauty of the Weald area.
Stephen Sanderson, executive chairman, said the study was essential as it gave scope, potential economics and operational viability of a possible future development of the Kimmeridge limestones in multiple sites, while keeping the environmental impact to a minimum.
“Clearly we will be in a better position to refine our view of the economics of the wider tight oil play over the area following the planned flow test of the Horse Hill-1 well.”
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