Tamboran Resources

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Tamboran Resources UK Limited (“Tamboran”) is a private UK and Irish-based exploration company focused on finding and developing unconventional oil and gas resources.

Background

Tamboran Resources UK was until November 2017 part of Australian shale gas explorer Tamboran Resources Limited, which explores and develops unconventional oil and gas in the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Western Australia, as well as Botswana.

The company's stated corporate objective is 'to deliver extraordinary returns to our shareholders by successfully drilling and developing multiple discoveries from our highly prospective portfolio, by leveraging our team’s deep North American unconventional oil and gas experience'.

Fracking plans for Northern Ireland

Tamboran Resources UK has controversially been planning to use fracking to extract natural gas in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland since 2011.

In 2014 the company was granted an extension to a High Court injunction to stop protestors getting close to the Belcoo quarry, where they were holding a vigil. According to Tamboran, it was granted the injunction because of 'unlawful incidents'.

Northern Ireland’s environment minister Mark Durkan back then said he would listen to the concerns of Fermanagh residents and that fracking would not happen on his watch “unless there is very strong scientific evidence that it is safe”, which he claimed “simply does not exist at this time”. [1] A month later, in August, Durkan rejected Tamboran's request to drill an exploratory borehole for shale gas at Belcoo quarry 'after very careful consideration'. The company had intended to drill using "permitted development rights", which meant the firm wouldn't have needed to apply for planning permission.[2] The company's licence expired in September 2014, although it has now emerged that it made a full application on 20 September 2016. [3]

2019 Belcoo application

Protestors outside Tamboran's PR and lobbying firm's offices in Belfast

In May 2019 Tamboran announced it had made a full application for a petroleum licence to drill an exploratory borehole at Belcoo. It has claimed the gas is worth 'in excess of £20 billion' and that its project could create 3000 long-term jobs, as well as a “substantial and generous community investment fund”. The gas could potentially supply Northern Ireland for over 50 years, it said. [4]

Campaigners have questioned the timing of Tamboran's Belcoo application and public consultation. Heavily redacted documents obtained from the Department for Economy by Belcoo Frack Free show that the timing of the consultation after the local elections was suggested by the fracking company.

“With regard to a start date for the consultation [redacted] stated that a date after the local elections *as suggested by Tamboran Resources UK* was acceptable...” [5]

In June 2019 campaigners protested outside Tamboran's PR company Weber Shandwick's Belfast offices in response to Tamboran's renewed bid to frack at Belcoo.

People

  • Karl Prenderville, Chief Executive Officer, previously commercial director of Tamboran Resources, appointed person with significant control November 2017 (director since 2013)
  • Jeremy Deeley director Tamboran Resources UK on 8 July 2016, was appointed a person with significant control 14 May 2018
  • Robert Bazeley, TRUK director and geologist, appointed September 2013t[6]

Former people

Lobbying and PR companies

Website and social media

In 2019 the company set up a new website for the Belcoo project: http://www.fermanaghnaturalgas.com/ Twitter: Tamboran Resources UK @FermanaghGas

Company details

Tamboran Resources (UK) Limited (NI605039) is registered and based in Northern Ireland.

Resources

See: Fracking lobbying firms

Notes

  1. Fracking firm Tamboran granted Belcoo quarry injunction extension, BBC News, 30 July 2014, acc 7 August 2014
  2. John Campbell, Minister rejects fracking firm's borehole application, BBC News, 11 August 2014
  3. Frack Free Belcoo, Letter from Tamboran, Facebook, accessed 17 June 2019
  4. Tamboran Resources, Benefits, company website, undated, accessed 17 June 2019.
  5. Belcoo Frack Free, [1] Facebook page, 4 June 2019, accessed 17 June 2019
  6. Companies House, Tambourine Resources UK, accessed 17 June 2019
  7. Companies House, Tambourine Resources UK, accessed 17 June 2019
  8. Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 29 January 2015
  9. Public Affairs Board, Current Register 1st March 2019 - 31st May 2019, accessed 18 June 2019
  10. APPC Register for 1 March 2014 - 31 May 2014