Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Labour)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the survey being carried out by Shell off the County Mayo coast on the Corrib field; the person that is carrying out the operation for Shell and if they have been licensed by him; the identity of the marine expert they are required to have on board the survey vessel; the precautions that are being taken to adequately protect the marine mammals present in that area; if he is monitoring that all necessary precautions are actually being followed. [28279/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Seismic surveys are a normal part of petroleum exploration activities and are subject to approval from my Department. Applications to conduct seismic surveys must include a risk assessment of the proposed activity in relation to the sensitivities of marine mammals in the area and outline specific impact mitigation and monitoring practices that will be applied.

On 20 April 2012, my Department approved an application from Shell E&P Ireland Limited to undertake a 3D seismic survey over the Corrib Gas Field, having first sought observations from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The conditions attaching to the survey approval include that the survey must comply with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, together with my Department's Rules and Procedures for Offshore Petroleum Exploration and Appraisal Operations. The approval conditions also require that a marine mammal observer and a fisheries liaison officer will be on board for the duration of the survey.

SEPIL is required to provide weekly progress reports to my Department and ensure that reporting of marine mammal observer operations takes place within 30 days of the completion of the survey. The contractor for the survey is Reservoir Exploration Technology ASA (RXT) of Norway.