Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

In recent years there has been renewed interest in targeting the natural gas resource potential of the onshore north-west carboniferous or Lough Allen basin. This potential had been identified in earlier exploration but was not considered commercially viable at the time. In February of this year, following an open competition, my Department awarded two two-year onshore petroleum licensing options to Tamboran Resources Limited and the Lough Allen Natural Gas Company Limited over parts of the basin.

The licensing options awarded are designed to allow the companies assess the natural gas and shale gas potential of the acreage. This work will be largely based on desktop studies of existing data from previous petroleum exploration activity. Exploration drilling is not allowed under these authorisations but shallow geological sampling is permitted. Exploration activity under these authorisations is at an early stage and there is no certainty that it will lead to applications for follow-on exploration licences that would be required before exploration wells could be drilled.

In the event that hydraulic fracturing was envisaged as part of a possible future exploration or production programme, then that activity would be subject to an environmental impact assessment, including an appropriate public consultation phase.

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