Untapped Mayo fuel resource 'vital for future'

A MASSIVE fuel resource is lying uptapped off the Mayo coastline that has the potential to provide 60% of the nation’s gas needs for up to 10 years.

Senator Mark Duffy said a proposal by Europa Oil and Gas Limited to harness natural gas resources at Inishkea West – which is approximately 20 kilometres from the existing Corrib gas field – needs to be a top priority in terms of giving the country greater independence ‘to mitigate the vulnerabilities’ that currently exist.

“When we see dictators and aggressors weaponising energy and using it to threaten and undermine other states, it reiterates the importance of us as an island nation making sure that we can stand on our own two feet as much as possible,” the Ballina-based Fine Gael representative stated.

Senator Duffy was chairman of Mayo County Council’s economic development, enterprise support, planning and marine committee when it was addressed on May 30, 2023, by Briain Ó Cathain, chairman of Europa Oil and Gas.

Since then it was revealed that seismic survey work by the company indicated the Inishkea West site could potentially hold up to 1.55 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas.

This figure showed the site was larger than the Corrib gas field, which is currently in production and is Ireland’s only indigenous source of natural gas supply.

It was also confirmed by Vermillion, the Corrib operators, that Europa Oil and Gas could use their terminal and pipeline facilities at Bellanaboy, resulting in 180 high quality jobs at the location being secured for a further 15 to 20 years.

Inishkea gas has an extremely low emissions intensity, estimated at one twelfth of the emissions intensity from UK imported gas.

Europa Oil and Gas is scheduled to initiate the third phase of its frontier exploration licence at the Mayo offshore location in August.

Senator Duffy said he understood the company is keen to move the project forward at a time when it is so urgently needed.