Written answers

Thursday, 5 May 2005

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Energy Resources

5:00 pm

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 17: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the latest information available to his Department regarding the proposed development of the Corrib gas field; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14405/05]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The development of the Corrib gas field, which is situated some 70 km off the coast of County Mayo, is progressing steadily. The development has received the necessary statutory approvals, consents and licences for the development of the field and work on the project has commenced. The developers expect that first gas will flow in early 2007. A considerable amount of work will be undertaken in 2005 towards achieving this end. This will include, among other things, construction of the terminal, the installation of the onshore pipeline and work on the offshore with regard to pipeline and the subsea.

My Department is at present considering two applications from the developers for consent to install and commission: phase 3: onshore pipeline and umbilical, originally submitted in June 2002 and phase 6 works: manifold installation and infield works. The requirement to seek the approval for consent to install the pipeline is an administrative condition attaching to the consent to construct the pipeline given by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey, on 15 April 2002.

In the context of considering the phase 3 application, officials from my Department met Shell in March 2005 to discuss the application further. At that meeting, Shell advised that the company had appointed Shell Global Solutions to carry out a peer review on the quantified risk assessment, QRA, and associated reports-studies submitted to my Department by the then operator Enterprise Energy Ireland Limited in connection with its application. Shell agreed to submit these reports to my Department by April of this year. I can confirm that a QRA report, version E, has now been received in the Department, and that a suitably qualified consultant has been appointed by my Department to review and assess this document and report to me on all aspects and especially that of public safety. I intend to make these reports, the QRA version E and the report by my consultant on this document, available to the public.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.