Hutton Energy

Hutton Energy is a similar type of company to Cuadrilla Resources, a small company specifically set up by a North American management to exploit shale in Europe. However, Hutton formed in 2009, too late for the UK 13th Onshore Round (when Cuadrilla acquired its first licences). Hutton’s management brags of being “early movers” in Marcellus Shale development in US.

Up until recently most of Hutton’s acreage has been in Poland (1.5 million acres), but poor results there suggest its focus may now shift. It has been lurking in the wings in UK for several years, and acquired Newton Energy in August 2014, along with Newton’s licences in the East Midlands. Hutton has been offered more blocks in East Lancashire as part of the 14th Onshore Round, some in partnership with Celtique Energie. All its acquisitions target areas identified as prospective for extraction of gas from the Bowland Shale.

Hutton Energy has four onshore UK licenses, PEDL 254, 255, 204 and 208 covering approximately 111,000 acres in the East Midlands. The additions from the 14th Round would bring its interests in the UK up to 330,000 acres. The company says it plans to drill two 950m oil exploration boreholes on a site known as Harlequin 3, in the East Midlands. The wells are being sold as conventional but given the recent track record of fracking companies hiding unconventional exploration, caution is advised.