Reform Mayor Engages US Oil Executive to Promote Fracking in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire’s Reform party mayor, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, has engaged with the head of an American oil and gas family in efforts to introduce fracking to the county, according to documents obtained by .
Egdon Resources, a subsidiary of US fracker Heyco Energy, announced a significant gas discovery in Lincolnshire’s Gainsborough Trough in 2023. Jenkyns, who assumed office as the first mayor of Greater Lincolnshire in May 2023, personally contacted the company to inquire how she “could help with your recent gas find in my county,” as revealed by records released under a freedom of information request.
Fracking has been banned in the UK due to concerns about induced earthquakes. However, Jenkyns has expressed strong support for bringing fracking to Lincolnshire and has reportedly met with fracking companies on at least four occasions since her initial contact with Egdon in June 2023.
A confidential presentation from Heyco minimized concerns regarding toxic chemicals in fracking fluids. It also included a tailored list of rebuttals to common criticisms of fracking and outlined its advantages over renewable energy sources in relation to the Gainsborough Trough project, according to documents obtained by .
In her June 2023 message to Egdon’s general inbox, Jenkyns stated she was
“very supportive of fracking”and asked how she could assist the company. Mark Abbott, Egdon’s CEO, replied within 11 minutes, proposing a meeting to
“discuss the potential for gas in Lincolnshire and the surrounding area.”
Jenkyns is a Reform party politician who has opposed local renewable energy projects such as solar farms and pylons in Lincolnshire.
Egdon’s owner, Yates, is a member of a century-old New Mexico oil and gas dynasty with extensive industry ties. He has previously criticized net zero policies as pseudo-scientific and incorrectly attributed the UK’s high energy prices to government climate policies.
An email from Abbott to Jenkyns and other Greater Lincolnshire officials following their meeting detailed discussions about
“the potential of shale gas in the Gainsborough Trough”and strategies for
“how to build support for its development.”The existence of the gas field has been publicly confirmed.
The email also outlined next steps, including Abbott’s offer to arrange a visit to a US shale operation for the group and to facilitate meetings with Yates and his daughter Lauren during their next UK visit.
On the same day as her meeting with Abbott, Jenkyns posted a video on Facebook praising the gas discovery as a
“no-brainer.”
Jenkyns and her officials met Yates in October 2023, during which he presented Egdon’s analysis of the
“potential positive impacts of shale gas development for Lincolnshire.”Documents show that in December 2023, Jenkyns met again with Heyco Energy Group, Egdon’s parent company, to discuss energy issues in Lincolnshire.
Fracking remains a contentious issue in the UK, with 51% of the population opposed to the practice. Even councils led by the Reform party in Lincolnshire and elsewhere have opposed fracking and similar gas extraction projects within their jurisdictions.
Richard Davies, Conservative group leader at Lincolnshire county council, described fracking as
“extremely controversial”in the region. He stated,
“I think the overwhelming sense from most people who live and work here is … what’s the truth behind the marketing spin? What are the risks, what are the bonuses? What are the environmental impacts?”
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said,
“We intend to ban fracking for good and make Britain a clean energy superpower to protect current and future generations.”
Yates has maintained his views on fracking. In 2022, he hosted director and cofounder Benny Peiser and the head of its American arm, Francis Menton, at the Dallas Petroleum Club, where they delivered a lecture titled
“The case against net zero.”
In February 2025, Yates gave a presentation, obtained by , in which he sought to attribute high energy prices in the UK to climate change policies rather than a global spike in natural gas prices.
Jenkyns and other Reform officials have also opposed local renewable energy initiatives, including efforts to reduce a community solar scheme that provided power to a fire station and leisure centre.
The Greater Lincolnshire authority had received funding from the government’s mayoral renewables fund to install solar panels and batteries on council buildings, including a fire station and leisure centre with high energy demands. The project aimed to
“deliver savings”on operational costs to free resources for other public services.
However, the day after her first meeting with Egdon, Jenkyns and Lincolnshire county council’s Reform leader, Sean Matthews, raised concerns about the project. Jenkyns cited safety concerns, referencing unsubstantiated reports of battery-related fires, although sources indicated no prior safety issues had been reported.
The authority had been awarded the funding but required mayoral approval to accept it. To avoid returning the funds, board members proposed alternative plans to the mayor, including removing batteries from the project, according to a councillor who spoke anonymously.
A revised funding application requested £430,000, approximately one-third less than the original government offer. The document, obtained via FOI, noted that without on-site batteries, the system would lack capacity to store excess energy or export it back to the grid.
An email update to council leaders indicated that removing the batteries resulted in fewer solar panels and
“a reduction in generating capacity and operating savings.”Despite this, Jenkyns characterized the outcome as a success and claimed she was fulfilling her campaign promise to challenge net zero policies and government waste.
A month later, Matthews and Jenkyns organized an anti-renewables campaign event called Lore, in collaboration with Reform MP Robert Tice. In her speech, Jenkyns reiterated Egdon’s claims about the benefits of fracking the Gainsborough Trough and advocated for similar policies under a future Reform government.
The following day, Matthews and several Reform councillors visited the onshore oil and gas company Star Energy’s headquarters in Welton and toured its production facilities. Emails obtained by show that Star Energy holds several fracking licenses in Lincolnshire, including in the Gainsborough Trough area.
Subsequently, Lincolnshire county council’s deputy leader, Rob Gibson, connected Star Energy with the mayor’s office. In a video, Jenkyns announced her own visit to Star Energy’s Lincolnshire sites, declaring
“it’s time to ditch net zero.”
When asked to comment on these developments, Yates stated,
“I meet with people of many and varied views on all matters. I am a long-standing Republican supporter, always open and transparent with my political donations, as required by US law. We look to engage with policymakers and politicians of all persuasions to make the case for indigenous resources, which have clear security of supply, economic and environmental benefits compared to increasing reliance on imports.”
Jenkyns and representatives of Greater Lincolnshire council did not respond to requests for comment.
