Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:174 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the prospects for mining exploration onshore and offshore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16186/03]
Vol. 568 No. 2
174 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the prospects for mining exploration onshore and offshore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16186/03]
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 261 on 15 April 2003. There has been no substantial change since then. There were 315 prospecting licences at the end of May 2003. There are no current licences for minerals exploration offshore nor is there any application for one.
175 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in regard to oil, gas or other mineral finds; if new prospects, commercial or otherwise have emerged in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16187/03]
Within the last 18 months, two petroleum leases, for the Corrib gas field and the Seven Heads gas accumulation, have been signed. Production from Seven Heads is set to commence later this year and production from Corrib will depend on the outcome of the developers re-evaluation of options following the refusal of planning permission by An Bord Pleanála. In addition there will be a small satellite development, south-west Kinsale Greensand, in the Kinsale gas field to access gas reserves that were not being drained effectively by the existing Kinsale gas field wells. The target date for gas production is July 2003.
Last November, I launched the Porcupine licensing initiative. Its purpose is to re-open the Porcupine region, closed since 1999, for exploration. The region will be opened for licensing in four tranches as it covers a large area, 241 full blocks. Some wells have been drilled there in the past but it still has real exploration potential. Regrettably, there were no applications in relation to the first tranche which had a closing date of 15 March 2003.