An exploration firm wants to spend up to 75 days continuously drilling in a rural Kinross-shire beauty spot.
Coal bed methane exploration expert Dart Energy has applied for permission to drill an appraisal borehole near Blairingone.
The company said the purpose of the six-inch-wide ”temporary appraisal borehole” is to bring a core of coal to surface for analysis to see if natural gases could be extracted.
Its target site, land west of Vicar’s Bridge, lies within the local AGLV (Area of Great Landscape Value) and just a few hundred metres from local houses. If planning permission is given, Stirling-based Dart could begin work on its £250,000 project any time in the next three years.
A statement alongside the planning application states: ”The purpose of the appraisal borehole is to drill vertically down to the target coal seams, to core them and then retrieve the mineral core to the surface for further study.”
The proposed site lies within the Perth and Kinross Council area, immediately adjacent to the River Devon boundary with Clackmannanshire Council. It was previously an area of commercial forestry, felled in 2010, and is 800 metres north of Blairingone, with other houses less than 400 metres away.
Dart’s appraisal of the project denies there will be any effect on the local environment. It states: ”The site is located within an Area of Great Landscape Value covering a large area of wooded and agricultural land to the north of the A977. The AGLV extends to the north east by some kilometres and covers an area of hundreds of hectares.
”The nature of the proposal, being small-scale and temporary, will not compromise the conservation objectives and overall integrity of the AGLV visibility of the site will be limited due to screening of the site by topography (the site is located in the river valley of the River Devon) and vegetation, as it is located within a felled area of forestry.
”On completion of the site, it will be restored as far as possible to its existing state, for management by the landowner.”
Dart has made similar exploratory drill holes in other areas of Stirlingshire, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk, as well as across England and Poland.
According to the planning documents: ”Drilling operations are anticipated to take approximately 60 days and a maximum of 75 days. Site preparation will take approximately 14 days. Site restoration is weather-dependent, though is anticipated to take approximately 14 days once commenced.
”Permission is requested for up to one year (starting within three years of the consent) to ensure restoration can take place in appropriate weather conditions.”
Throughout the period, Dart wants to drill continuously, 24 hours a day. The company states: ”24-hour drilling enables full management of the borehole to be maintained, ensuring it is monitored and safely managed throughout the borehole drilling.
”It enables drilling depth to be maintained. If the operations were interrupted on a daily basis, this would potentially result in the borehole depth being compromised. This can lead to the requirement to re-drill the borehole. 24-hour operation ensures the rig is on and off site as quickly as possible, having completed the drilling operations. It allows efficiency in terms of presence on site and investment.”
A positive result could see jobs created in the area.
”In the event this appraisal borehole shows positive results and the future test and production phase is successful, a number of full-time posts both centrally at Dart’s European headquarters in Stirling and close to the sites will be created. Local services are critical to facilitating the support and safe and efficient operations of the construction and operation of the well sites and associated facilities,” the report states.