North Yorkshire on the edge of a geothermal revolution at old fracking site

It is located at Third Energy’s1 Kirby Misperton KM8 well site and has been led by geothermal project developers, CeraPhi Energy and partly funded by the Net Zero Technology Centre.

This shift represents a transition from the site’s previous life as an oil and gas asset to a now clean and renewable energy source.

Kevin Hollinrake Thirsk and Malton Member of Parliament, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Enterprise and Markets, visited the Kirby Misperton site and said: “This project led by CeraPhi Energy, the Net Zero Technology Centre and Third Energy at Kirby Misperton is hugely exciting. It has the potential to provide energy security for our region and ties in with the wider national commitments to tackle climate change.

“Along with the match-funded grant from the government, Third Energy has put its faith in this project which is now paying off. I'm also pleased my constituents have been consulted along the way and look forward to seeing the progress of the site.”

This demonstration project marks the country's first endeavour of this kind.

Its success holds the promise of positioning the UK at the forefront of innovative energy technologies on a global scale.

Previous community engagement survey work funded by the government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was undertaken by Ryedale District Council in 2022.

It discovered that more than eight out of 10 people who responded said that they would ‘happy’ or ‘satisfied’ with the Geothermal Energy proposals in North Yorkshire.

Once engaged in onshore gas extraction, Third Energy shifted its focus towards repurposing its existing infrastructure for the generation and distribution of clean energy after the fracking moratorium was imposed in 2019.

CeraPhi Energy is a renewable energy company providing clean geothermal energy solutions on a global level.

Their operations span from the UK to Houston, Texas, where more than 6,200 abandoned oil and gas wells can be repurposed for clean energy usage, whilst removing price-prohibitive plug and abandonment processes.

CEO of CeraPhi Energy, Karl Farrow, said: “As we now refer to the oil and gas industry as the ‘Sunset Business’, we’re standing on the edge of the new generation of clean energy production.

“From stranded assets to a valuable transition towards green energy, our project here at the former Kirby Misperton fracking well site has now begun.

“We have completed the final site set-up, along with full equipment testing and initial pipe installation of almost one kilometre. Our preliminary measurements of the well temperature are 20% higher than predicted, which is great news at this early stage."

Steve Mason, Director at Third Energy, said: “Our mission to transform Third Energy into a renewable energy beacon has taken a massive step with the start of this exciting project. Geothermal energy is the obvious choice to repurpose spent or unviable wells, tapping into what is essentially a very long-term, sustainable heat source.”

Third Energy and CeraPhi Energy are offering the local community and other stakeholders an opportunity to attend a site visit to see the UK’s first transitional geothermal well, and learn more about how this could transform the way energy is produced and used.

Karl Farrow added: “We’re ready to welcome residents on-site visits at Kirby Misperton, to see this revolutionary technology in action. We want to show how we can harness the heat beneath our feet as a way forward to meet our net zero commitments, mitigate climate change and assist with domestic energy security for a clean, sustainable future.”