Investigation into potential Eskdale gas field underway

May 22 2009 by Sharon Liptrott, Dumfries Standard Friday

THE SEARCH for valuable natural gas reserves underneath a small Eskdale village could be stepping up a gear.

Chesterfield-based company, Greenpark Energy, says Canonbie is sitting on top of a natural resources treasure house which includes 400,000 tons of coal.

They want to pump £40 million into harnessing valuable natural methane gas reserves from it through a commercial gas field in the area.

Annandale and Annandale and Eskdale councillors will decided on Wednesday if they can go ahead with eight applications to drill more bore holes and temporary drill rigs around the area.

And, if found to be productive, the company wants to press on to extract untapped coal bed methane from the underground coal seams for a maximum 28 years.

This will involve drilling along coal seams, and, if successful, could see commercial gas production from the sites by 2010.

If given the green-light the new boreholes would be at Bryeburn Wood, Priors Lynn, Woodhouselees, Oldkiln Knowe, Thief Rigg, Mosskowe, Crookholm, and Airnlee.