Government pledges £110bn gas field below Gainsborough won't be touched

The company behind the discovery – thought to be worth around £110bn – say it could create thousands of jobs and power the UK for years.

However, no new licenses are being issued for onshore gas extraction (known as fracking) and the government plans to outlaw it completely.

This is partly due to fears over earthquakes caused by the drilling.

The gas field was found in a geological feature known as the Gainsborough Trough, and is centred under West Lindsey.

It is due to be formally announced by energy company Egdon later this month.

However, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zeros says it will remain focused on renewable energy rather than fossil fuels.

A spokesperson said: “We intend to ban fracking for good and make Britain a clean energy superpower to protect current and future generations.

“The biggest risk to our energy security is staying dependent on fossil fuel markets and only by sprinting to clean power by 2030 can the UK take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from price spikes.

“Through our Plan for Change, we will reignite our industrial heartlands as we seize the opportunities of the clean energy transition, and will continue to drive investment for businesses and communities in the UK.”

It also says there is no guarantee that private companies which extract the gas would sell it in the UK rather than export it abroad.

However local politicians have been enthusiastic about the discovery.

The area’s MP Sir Edward Leigh (Con) said online: “The discovery of a giant gas field around Gainsborough that could power the UK for a decade shows the absurdity of covering 10,000 acres nearby with solar panels.

“The government should drop its Net Zero obsession and look after the real energy and food needs of the nation.”

Coun Colin Davie (Con), the portfolio holder for the economy on Lincolnshire County Council, said the government may need to reconsider its fracking position.

“This government will come under pressure from the public as they pay for its energy policy with rising costs,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“They can’t say we shouldn’t use oil and gas on our doorstep when it costs us so much to import it.

“Fracking may be something that needs to be allowed down the road to rescue the economy.”

West Lindsey District Council has been silent on the issue so far despite requests for interviews.