Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 62: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the possibility that there will be a gas shortage here in the winter of 2009 if there are further delays in the Corrib gas project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24060/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Currently, 96% of Ireland's natural gas requirements are met by imports from the British wholesale gas market via two interconnectors with Scotland. The remainder comes from storage and the Kinsale Field, which is in decline. The coming on stream of gas from the Corrib Gas Field will critically alleviate Ireland's dependence on imports for its period of production. The field has the potential to supply 60% of annual demand, and 40% of peak demand, for at least five years. Throughout, the capacity to import gas from the British market through the two interconnectors will remain.

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has statutory responsibility for monitoring and ensuring security of natural gas supply. The CER is also required to produce an annual Gas Capacity Statement. This Statement provides a seven year rolling forecast of customer demand, network capacity and gas flows, in light of which the adequacy of Ireland's gas transmission system is analysed.

The 2009 Gas Capacity Statement is currently being prepared and includes a range of possible scenarios regarding differing supply and demand levels. One such scenario is that of a post 2010 date for gas coming ashore from the Corrib field. The network modelling analysis indicates that the existing transmission systems have sufficient capacity to meet current demand and to cope with the Corrib project not coming on stream until 2011. In this low supply case it is also assumed that there are no other new supplies into the system so that, once the flows from Kinsale cease in 2013/14, the rest of the system demand has to be met by gas supplied from the UK at Moffat. The analysis shows that there will be sufficient capacity at Moffat to meet the demand up until 2014 but measures may be needed to increase capacity after that time if Corrib or other new supply sources are not available.

As regards the availability of gas commodity, it should be noted that Bord Gáis Energy Supply is obliged to purchase gas in advance so as to ensure that the demand of domestic and SME customers is met.

The ongoing difficulties between Russia and Ukraine, which has potential implications for European gas supply, underlines the strategic imperative to diversify Ireland's sources of gas supply and the crucial importance of bringing the Corrib Gas Field into production. It also underlines that for Ireland, as for all Member States, a coordinated EU approach to security of gas supply is essential.