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Searches User Guide: Energy

Oil or gas drilling well

The database of oil and gas wells shows all existing and historic licensed oil, gas, shale gas, and coalbed methane extraction sites. These wells may have been licensed in any one of the 14 licensing rounds since 1910.

Data source: North Sea Transition Authority (formerly Oil and Gas Authority)
Data update schedule: Monthly

Proposed oil or gas drilling well

Planning applications relating to the exploration and extraction of oil or gas. Please be aware this may also include applications for subsurface geological exploration unrelated to fuel extraction.

Data source: Glenigan
Data update schedule: Fortnightly

Licensed blocks

Areas that have been licensed by the North Sea Transition Authority (formerly Oil and Gas Authority) for exploration, and the possible extraction of oil or gas.

Data source: North Sea Transition Authority (formerly Oil and Gas Authority)
Data update schedule: Quarterly

Potential future exploration areas

These are broad areas that have been offered out by the Government, which may in the future be licensed by private companies for oil and gas exploration.

Data source: North Sea Transition Authority (formerly Oil and Gas Authority)
Data update schedule: Annually

Wind farms

This data is sourced from the UK Wind Energy Database supplied by Renewable UK. Groundsure recommends further independent research with Renewable UK of any sites of interest to determine exact locations and details of the projects.

Data source: Renewable UK
Data update schedule: Quarterly

Proposed wind farms

This information is derived from planning data supplied by Glenigan, in some cases with further accuracy applied by Groundsure’s experts. This search includes planning applications for wind farms with multiple turbines within 5,000m of the property.

Data source: Glenigan
Data update schedule: Quarterly

    Proposed wind turbines

    This information is derived from planning data supplied by Glenigan, in some cases with further accuracy applied by Groundsure’s experts. This search includes planning applications for single wind turbines only, within 5,000m of the property.

    Data source: Glenigan
    Data update schedule: Quarterly

    Existing and agreed solar installations

    Operational or planned solar photovoltaic farm or smaller installation but does not include small domestic solar installations.

    Data source: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
    Data update schedule: Monthly

    Proposed solar installations

    Planning permission applications relating to solar farms or smaller installations. This dataset does not include small domestic solar installations and that one site may have multiple applications for different aspects of their design and operation.

    Data source: Publicly available information sourced by Groundsure
    Data update schedule: Bi-weekly

      Electricity transmission lines and pylons

      High voltage underground electricity transmission cables running between generating power plants and electricity substations. These relate to electricity transmission only and not local distribution networks. The data includes information on operating voltages, year of installation and cable construction. The absence of data in this section should not be used as a confirmation that no other underground cables are present at a site, and a practitioner should obtain a full Utility Search prior to any groundworks at a site. These may be ordered through Groundsure or through your preferred provider.

      Data source: National Grid
      Data update schedule: Annually

      National Grid energy infrastructure

      Identifies high pressure, large diameter pipelines which carry gas between gas terminals, power stations, compressors and storage facilities. These relate to national transmission only and do not relate to local gas distribution networks. The absence of data in this section should not be used as a confirmation that no other underground pipelines are present at a site, and a practitioner should obtain a full Utility Search prior to any groundworks at a site. These may be ordered through Groundsure or through your preferred provider. This section will also highlight the presence of any larger scale electricity sub-stations.

      Data source: National Grid
      Data update schedule: Annually

      Power stations

      Power generation stations identified by these searches have a capacity of over 1 MW (Million Watt output) and will be one of the following types: Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT), Gas/Oil, Coal Gas, Diesel Gas, HP Oil, Poultry Litter, Coal/Oil, Coal/Gas, Meat and Bone, Pumped Storage Mine Gas, Rapeseed Oil, Straw/Gas Waste Combined Heat or Power Biomass.

      Data source: DECC (now Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy)
      Data update schedule: Annually

        Nuclear installations

        This dataset identifies whether a nuclear installation is or planned within 5km of the site. It may be existing, decommissioned or planned. Existing nuclear power stations may be in ‘Operational’, ‘Defueling’ or ‘Decommissioning’ states.

        Data source: Groundsure, Health and Safety Executive, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the National Infrastructure Planning Programme and the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Centre
        Data update schedule: Annually

        Large Energy Projects

        Large scale energy generation or transmission infrastructure has been proposed on or near to the property. Plans have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (formerly known as the Infrastructure Planning Commission). https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/  

        Data source: The Planning Inspectorate
        Data update schedule: Annual