Top 10 Best Oil and Gas Companies in Fylde

The Role of Oil and Gas in Fylde

While renewable energy dominates headlines, oil and gas remain central to how homes in Fylde are heated and how many businesses operate. The Irish Sea has supplied natural gas to the UK for decades through the Morecambe Bay fields, and the Fylde area became nationally known for onshore exploration at Preston New Road near Little Plumpton. Today the sector is evolving, balancing energy security with decarbonisation and the reuse of oil and gas expertise for carbon capture and hydrogen.

This guide highlights the ten oil and gas companies most relevant to Fylde, whether through exploration, production, distribution or supply to households and businesses across the borough.

Fylde's Energy History

Lancashire's coastal geology has long attracted energy interest. Offshore, the Morecambe Bay gas fields became among the most important in the UK after their discovery in the 1970s. Onshore, the Bowland Shale beneath the Fylde drew exploration activity in the 2010s. Although shale gas extraction was halted by a national moratorium and the Preston New Road wells were subsequently plugged, the episode shaped local debate about energy for years.

The Top 10 Oil and Gas Companies Relevant to Fylde

1. Cuadrilla Resources

Cuadrilla is the company most closely associated with Fylde's onshore energy story. It carried out exploration at Preston New Road and gathered significant geological data on the Bowland Shale. While extraction did not proceed, its work remains a key chapter in the borough's industrial history.

2. Spirit Energy

Spirit Energy has historically operated the Morecambe Bay gas fields, which have supplied a substantial share of UK gas over their lifetime. The fields demonstrate the long-term importance of the Irish Sea to national energy security.

3. Centrica

Centrica, the parent of British Gas, has deep involvement in upstream gas and storage, including interests linked to Morecambe Bay. Its activities span production, trading and supply, making it one of the most influential energy companies in the UK.

4. Harbour Energy

Harbour Energy is one of the largest independent oil and gas producers on the UK Continental Shelf. Its scale and expertise in mature basins make it an important player as the industry manages ageing assets and explores carbon storage opportunities.

5. Eni UK

Eni operates in Liverpool Bay and leads the carbon dioxide transport and storage element of the HyNet North West cluster. Repurposing depleted gas fields for carbon storage is a powerful example of how oil and gas skills support decarbonisation in the region.

6. National Gas Transmission

National Gas owns and operates the high-pressure gas transmission system across Great Britain. Its pipelines carry gas from terminals and storage sites to regional networks, ensuring a reliable supply to Lancashire.

7. Cadent Gas

Cadent is the gas distribution network operator for the North West, maintaining the pipes that deliver gas to homes and businesses in Lytham St Annes, Kirkham and beyond. It is also trialling hydrogen blending to reduce emissions from the existing network.

8. Calor Gas

Many rural properties in Fylde, from farmhouses near Treales to businesses in outlying villages, are not connected to the mains gas network. Calor supplies bottled and bulk LPG to these customers and is expanding into lower-carbon alternatives such as bioLPG.

9. Flogas

Flogas is another leading LPG supplier serving off-grid homes, farms, caravan parks and commercial premises. Its bulk tank and cylinder services are well suited to the Fylde's holiday parks and agricultural operations.

10. Wood

Wood is a global engineering and consulting company with deep oil and gas expertise and a growing focus on energy transition projects. Its engineers support asset integrity, decommissioning and carbon capture schemes across UK waters, including the Irish Sea.

The Sector in Transition

The UK oil and gas industry is undergoing a profound change. Production from mature fields is declining, decommissioning is accelerating and government policy prioritises the transition to clean energy. At the same time, gas continues to provide flexibility to the power system and heat millions of homes. Companies are responding by investing in carbon capture, hydrogen and electrification of offshore operations.

What This Means for Fylde

For residents, the most visible impacts are energy prices and the gradual shift towards low-carbon heating such as heat pumps. Off-grid households should explore renewable LPG options and grants for alternative heating systems. For local businesses, the skills developed in oil and gas, including project management, safety, pipeline engineering and subsea operations, are increasingly valuable in offshore wind and carbon capture projects coming to the region.

Choosing an Energy Fuel Supplier

If your home or business relies on LPG or heating oil, compare suppliers on price per litre, delivery reliability, tank maintenance and contract flexibility. Many providers now offer remote tank monitoring and automatic top-ups, which are particularly useful for remote Fylde farms during the winter months.

Final Thoughts

Oil and gas remain an important part of Fylde's energy landscape even as the borough embraces renewables. The ten companies above shape how energy is produced, transported and delivered locally, and many are playing a central role in reusing North West infrastructure for a cleaner future.