From 1995 to 2019 the gas was used as fuel for the gas-turbine driven Knapton power station.
[2] The Ryedale gas fields and Knapton power station were bought by UK Energy Systems Ltd for $70 million from Viking UK Gas Ltd (owned by Viking Petroleum of Houston) who owned the fields since December 2003 and this company is still based in East Knapton as part of the acquisition.
The fields were previously (since 1999) owned 60% by Tullow Oil (who sold their stake for $8.3 million in October 2003) and 40% by Edinburgh Oil & Gas plc (who sold their stake for £3.2 million).
The gas field was discovered in January 1985 and production started in March 1995.
[4] This site originally had three wells designated KM1 and KM3 (near Kirby Misperton) and KM2 (near Little Barugh).
[2] In August 1996 well KM2 lost delivery of gas which was believed to be due to water influx.
Well KM1 produced gas from the Carboniferous accumulation from December 1994 at 6 MMscfd.
[2] Well MN1 started production at 5 MMscfd in 1996 and produced 2.85 bcf (80.7 million m3) by 2001.
The Pickering gas field was discovered in January 1992 with production starting in November 2001.
[1] Other gas fields around Pickering were initially developed by Home Oil of Calgary, Alberta, Canada in the 1970s.
In 2022 Third Energy undertook a study to investigate the use of hot water from the reservoirs at up to 90 deg C to heat homes in the district.