Written answers

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Offshore Exploration

9:00 pm

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the companies granted licences for onshore exploration of gas in the north west were required to indicate as part of their application for the licence their preferred method of extraction of gas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23837/11]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Companies wishing to submit applications for licensing options in the competition run by my Department last year were not required to indicate as part of their application the method they would propose for the extraction of gas in the event of a commercial discovery being made in the future.

The licensing options on offer at the time specifically excluded exploration drilling of any kind. Accordingly, it would not be possible to make a commercial discovery under the licensing options that were on offer and as a consequence it would have been premature to focus on the technology that might be used to produce gas.

The purpose of the licensing options is to allow the companies assess the natural gas potential of the acreage largely based on desktop studies of existing data from previous petroleum exploration activity and shallow geological sampling. They also confer on the companies involved a first right of refusal for an exploration licence over the areas concerned.

Exploration activity under these authorisations is at a very 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.

I have made clear that any future application proposing the use of hydraulic fracturing, will be the subject of an environmental impact assessment, including an appropriate public consultation phase before any decision is made.

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