UK Oil & Gas Investments (LON:UKOG) has secured a planning consent extension for a well in southern England and has started work on a field development plan.
UKOG said the South Downs National Park Authority had extended permission for its Markwells Wood-1 well site in West Sussex until September 30 next year.
The group also reiterated that it had begun work on a Markwells Wood field development plan (FDP), which it aims to submit to the UK Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).
It wants the authority's approval to move the PEDL126 licence for the site from its current exploration phase into an 18-year production period.
It also plans eventually to seek planning permission and other regulatory and environmental approvals to develop the field.
Chairman Stephen Sanderson said: "This is a key step to enable the company to move forward with its plan to develop this UK onshore oil field to add further oil production to its portfolio."
UKOG is also the operator of the Horse Hill development near Gatwick Airport.