Crogga Ltd still owes the Manx Government more than £22,000 over its failed bid to extract natural gas off the island’s coast.

At this week’s House of Keys sitting, Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas asked Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson whether Crogga Energy, Crogga Limited, Crogga Operations, and Crogga UK owe money to the Isle of Man Government and, if so, how the money will be recovered.

Dr Allinson confirmed that £22,363.60 is due from Crogga Ltd to the government but said he could not comment further on the progress on recovering the amount which is being managed by the Department of Infrastructure. He said the total invoice raised by the DOI for Crogga was £59,295.80.

Isle of Man Today understands the £22,363.60 figure is disputed by Crogga Ltd.

In March this year, Crogga Ltd confirmed that its plans to drill for natural gas off the Manx coast, which it claimed could have generated billions for the island’s economy, had ground to a halt.

The firm said: ‘It has become clear that it will not be possible to agree workable terms and the licence has expired.’

The company had estimated that the proposed Crogga field, located off the coast of Maughold, could have sold 660 billion cubic feet of natural gas over the course of its 19-year lifespan.

However, it said that after nearly seven years of pressing the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) for updated oil and gas regulations, it has now withdrawn its proposals.

Conducting the 3D survey would have cost Crogga £12m which it was loathe to do without the legislation in place.

In March, DOI Minister Dr Michelle Haywood said she would not advocate the government paying for the surveys, stating she would not ‘gamble’ with taxpayers’ money.

Just last month, Crogga (UK) Ltd entered liquidation with an estimated deficit of just under £400,000, which is a UK company separate to Crogga Ltd.