Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I am addressing this issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Communications and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey.

The Minister stated in a recent parliamentary question reply to which Deputy Cowley alludes that he does not intend to release the quantitative risk assessment carried out for the onshore pipeline as it now forms part of the deliberative process in connection with the application for consent to install the onshore pipeline which he has received from the developers of the Corrib Gas field. In these circumstances it would not be appropriate for the Minister to release the QRA at present.

The QRA report carried out on the onshore section of the pipeline addressed and carried out an assessment on the risks present during the operational phase of the onshore section of the pipeline only, that is, the section between the mean low water mark and the first isolation valve upstream of the big trap in the terminal. The purpose of this assessment was to identify and assess all risks associated with the operation of the onshore section of the pipeline.

The assessment makes recommendations for risk reduction where appropriate and demonstrates that the residual risk associated with the operation of the onshore pipeline have been reduced to tolerable levels. It showed that even in the worst case of the pipeline being ruptured and the gas being ignited, the occupants of a building 70 metres away would be safe. The design of the pipeline means that the risk of such an event or any other type of gas escape is infinitesimally small. The Deputy will be aware that the QRA formed part of the information supplied by the developers to the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Fahey, with their application to construct a pipeline. He commissioned an independent assessment on the pipeline design code by Mr. Andrew Johnston, a very reputable petroleum pipeline consultant. Mr. Johnston's study covered design, methodology, operating conditions, pipeline commissioning, public safety, welding and testing, pipeline material and quality and protection from interference.

Mr. Johnston's report suggested certain updating of the QRA and the developers duly agreed to carry this out. Mr. Johnston's report was entitled Corrib Gas Pipeline Project: Report on Evaluation of the Onshore Pipeline Design Code and was submitted at the end of March 2002. The report, a copy of which has been provided to Deputy Cowley and many other persons in north-west Mayo, makes a number of recommendations for risk reduction where appropriate. Mr. Johnston's conclusions were as follows. The pipeline design code has been selected in accordance with best public safety considerations and is appropriate for the pipeline operating conditions. The design of the onshore pipeline is generally in accordance with code selection and best national and international industry practice, provided that the actions recommended in section 2.2 of his report are followed. The pipeline is considered to be adequately protected from third party interference by burial to a depth of approximately 1.2 m and provision of marker tape above the pipeline. The pipeline is considered to meet public safety requirements as outlined in the selected design code, provided that the actions recommended in section 2.2 are followed. The recommendations of section 2.2 of Mr. Johnston's report have been incorporated in the statutory approvals issued for the Corrib pipeline development.

As the Minister stated, his Department is considering an application for consent to install the onshore pipeline. Both the QRA and the Johnston report will form part of this process. In so far as there may be issues in the QRA that need further clarification, elaboration or even additional material, Mr. Johnston will provide the necessary advice for the Department.

Prior to approval for the production of first gas the Minister will need to be satisfied that condition 3 of his approval of the plan of development has been complied with. This condition states, inter alia, that all production operations regarding Corrib be conducted according to all requirements of the rules and procedures for offshore petroleum production operations. It also requires, prior to commencement of gas production, the receipt of a letter or letters of acceptance for all Corrib installations, pipelines and associated engineering infrastructure from the Minister's auditor indicating that third party independent verification has been carried out and completed satisfactorily on the development.

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