Fracking to tap South East oil: Billions of barrels FOUND in Sussex, Hampshire and Kent #BringBackOurGirls #FutureGroupNG via @myentertain9jar

Vast areas of the south east have been identified as areas for fracking[Mike Partridge]

Billions of barrels of oil have been found in rocks under parts of Sussex, Hampshire and Kent.

The vast scale of the energy reserves is unveiled in the official analysis by the British Geological Survey, whose report last year estimated that there is 1,300 trillion cubic feet of gas underground in the North of England.

It is expected that the BGS report will identify similar amounts in a stretch of country from Wiltshire to Kent, including the South Downs National Park, although it is unclear how much can be extracted because some of the oil has been found under built-up areas.

It is thought that the Weald basin, an area of around 3,500 square miles, could contain up to a third of the amount of oil discovered in the North Sea.

This would offer Britain greater energy security and help drive down fuel prices.

Fracking involves drilling a vertical well, typically more than a mile deep, and then drilling out horizontally. Large volumes of water, sand and chemicals are pumped down the well to fracture the rocks and extract oil or gas trapped within them.

 

Communities affected by the controversial process will be offered an average of £800,000 in additional compensation in an effort to stave off opposition in Conservative heartlands, according to reports last night.

Prime Minister David Cameron, an avid supporter of fracking, is expected to make the announcement today.

The Government will hope the extra money quells criticism of plans to reform trespass laws to allow the fracking industry to grow.

The compensation will be offered alongside one-off £100,000 payments in areas with fracking sites and a one per cent share of profits.

Andrew Austin, of IGas Energy, said his company already exploited oil and gas reserves in the South of England.

He told the BBC’s Newsnight programme: “We’ve known that there is a big potential for oil and gas exploration across the country but particularly in terms of oil in the Weald basin, which is the area that stretches roughly from Winchester across towards Gatwick, up to the M25 and down to the coast at Chichester.

“There’s been a long history of oil and gas exploration in this area. We as a company produce oil and gas from around 20 sites across that area. Around 40 million barrels have been recovered to date.”

Brenda Pollack, of environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth, said: “These latest estimates will set alarm bells ringing across the South-east.

“No wonder the Government waited until after the elections to make this announcement.

“Rather than drilling for more dirty fossil fuels that will add to climate change, the Government should be backing renewable power and energy efficiency.”