Martin Ferris
Ceist:332 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has recent reports on the find made in the Dooish Basin. [22129/03]
Written Answers. - Offshore Exploration.
Shell-Enterprise Energy Ireland, EEI, re-entered their Dooish exploration well on 11 May 2003, following its suspension in October 2002, using the drilling unit Jack Bates. The well, which is situated in frontier exploration licence, FEL, 2/94 in the Rockall Basin some 125 km off the Donegal coast, was deepened from the 2002 total depth of 4,146 m measured depth, MD, to 4,471 m MD and confirmed the existence of a substantial gas condensate discovery. Following a comprehensive evaluation programme the well has been plugged and abandoned.
Both my Department and Shell-EEI are continuing to analyse the well results and integrate them with other data from the area. Further technical work on the prospect will be required before the size of the gas condensate accumulation and the possibility for any commercial development can be accurately assessed. However, it is extremely encouraging that this well, only the second to be drilled in the Rockall Basin, proved to be such a significant discovery. My Department has emphasised the positive implications of this discovery for the prospectivity of the basin as a whole.
Martin Ferris
Ceist:333 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether the recent landslide in north Mayo would have come into collision with the pipeline, with potentially catastrophic consequences, had the proposed Corrib gas pipeline been built. [22130/03]
First, I should point out to the Deputy that Mayo County Council, the local authority responsible for dealing with issues associated with the disaster area. In this connection the council has commissioned an expert report on the causes of the landslide. I understand that an interim report is due out shortly and that a final report is due in the next two weeks. It would not be appropriate for me to speculate at this juncture as to the causes of the landslide before these reports have been issued.
It may be of interest to the Deputy to note that the proposed route of the Corrib onshore gas pipeline runs along the north shore of Sruwaddacon Bay. Pullatomish, where the recent landslide occurred, is on the south shore of Sruwaddacon Bay a distance of some 0.8 km across the bay from the proposed pipeline route. The landslide, therefore, would not have impacted the pipeline in any way, had the pipeline been installed. A map showing the route of the proposed pipeline, which would be buried along its entire onshore length of some eight km from the landfall has been forwarded to the Deputy.
Enterprise Energy Ireland Limited, EEIL, has examined the proposed pipeline route and has advised that the only area affected by the increased water and mud run-off was a land drain close to the location where the pipeline crosses the estuary. The drain had already been identified during the pipeline design and measures have been incorporated in the proposed construction programme to ensure any flooding of this drain does not affect the pipeline.
334.Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if drilling carried out in connection with the proposed Corrib gas pipeline contributed to the recent landslide in north Mayo. [22131/03]
In terms of exploration and appraisal drilling the location of the Corrib gas field is over 70 km west of Broadhaven Bay. In 2001 Enterprise Energy Ireland Limited, EEIL, undertook limited site investigation work involving coring in the nearshore, in the vicinity of the proposed gas pipeline landfall at Glengad. EEIL did not undertake any drilling in 2002. It did, however, undertake trial excavation along the pipeline route to determine how deep the sediment was in the nearshore and intertidal areas. I wish to inform the Deputy that trail excavations undertaken by EEIL were reinstated. No work in Broadhaven Bay or at the landfall has been undertaken by EEIL in 2003.