Gas may flow to market by 2013

Monday, 24 January 2011 16:36

Gas from the Corrib Field should be flowing into the national grid by late 2013 following An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant permission for the Corrib onshore gas pipeline. That's according to a spokesman for Shell E&P Ireland Limited (SEPIL), which has welcomed An Bord Pleanála's decision as 'good for Mayo and for

Ireland'.

Mr. Terry Nolan, SEPIL MD, says that with five wells at the Corrib Field and the offshore pipeline already in place, and the terminal at Bellanaboy also close to completion, the company was looking forward to completing the final phase.
Barring 'unforseen difficulties' the company experts expect to be delivering gas to the Irish market by the end of 2013.
However, the Shell to Sea organisation has repeated claims that the current gas project is in direct contravention of EU Habitats Directives and as such has dire consequences for the safety of the local community, the environment and Irish natural resources.

Meanwhile, the Erris Local Contractors Association (ELCA), whose members made a submission in support of the Corrib onshore pipeline application at the oral hearing, say the planning decision would have a positive impact not only on the entire community of Erris but also on the country.
A statement signed by Cathal Shevlin, T.J. Lennon, Pat Cowman, T.J. Carey, Brendan Hegarty, P.J. Barrett and Sean Keane claimed the project has the potential to create several hundred jobs at all skill levels.
• See newspaper page16A for details of the An Bord Pleanála decision.