An Bord Pleanála says Corrib pipeline poses unacceptable risk

[fiannafailure]

I have a very good knowledge of the Oil and Gas sector in the North Sea (worked thare from 1984 until 1999), both UK and Norwegian. Your comment displays a complete lack of knowledge about the reasons why Ireland has not delveloped its Oil and Gas Industry.

Genuine question, what should we have done?

[Gryire]

Genuine question, what should we have done?

Not alot really. If it was financially viable to produce oil or gas from the west coast of Ireland or Scotland then it would have been done before now. The technical challanges are huge with associated costs. The North Sea (for both UK and Norway) is a completely different ball game. Every offshore oil and gas site has its own challanges. At the moment The area west of Ireland and west of Shetland in Scotland is a very tough area to produce oil and gas from. That is not to say that if oil was to reach prices of $200 to $300 per barrell then the cost may make it worth while.

[Murph]

So Shell is wrong on grounds of safety -pipeline too close to houses.

Isnt that what the local were complaining about all along. So why are those on this site who claim to recognise and respect the law -are still calling the protestors loopers?

It seems to me that those within Shell who drove this are the ones who look like loopers!

[Galtee]

Its very simple, the refinery should have been built at a coastal location in a remote location - of which there are many in north Mayo - that is the industry standard and because of political expedience, industry standard was not followed. The gas is commercial at $18 a barrel oil equivalent.

[fiannafailure]

Not alot really. If it was financially viable to produce oil or gas from the west coast of Ireland or Scotland then it would have been done before now. The technical challanges are huge with associated costs. The North Sea (for both UK and Norway) is a completely different ball game. Every offshore oil and gas site has its own challanges. At the moment The area west of Ireland and west of Shetland in Scotland is a very tough area to produce oil and gas from. That is not to say that if oil was to reach prices of $200 to $300 per barrell then the cost may make it worth while.

Thats what I thought and it underlines my belief that our policy makers really must widen their terms of reference when it comes to our energy future.

From talking to people in the corrib area, it is also plain that the initial negotiations were hangled in a very poor manner.

[cactusflower]

Exactly, go back to ABP inspector Kevin Moores report on the terminal - they built it in the wrong place! Now if you work for a company like Shell you are arrogant to the point that you cannot take just one step back to move 10 steps forward. Shell have never accepted the faults of their project and therefor have ploughed ahead with different elements of the project assuming that permission for the other elements will follow as sure as night follows day - after all we are Shell, we have the money and the power, and we always get our way! Even now with a damming letter from the Board, you can be sure that Shell are completely convinced that they are right and the Board are wrong and make no mistake about it - Shell will use every device in their power to get that pipe from Glengad to Ballinaboy and failure is not an option. One just hopes that because of their arrogance and their manipulation of power, the parish of Cill Chomain is not descended into yet another year of turmoil.

I hope so to. Well done to everyone there, irrespective of the different ways that people have chosen to use.

The original route was exempt from planning permission until the jailing of the Rossport 5, what you had essentially was an offshore pipe being brought 9 km inland. Frank Fahy gave the go ahead and signed a statutory instrument to allow Enterprise Oil Compulsory Acquisition Powers. This was subsequently all deemed illegal, the Gas Act had to be amended and head of the Petroleum Affairs Division committed perjury in court to cover up Shells illegal pipeline construction.

So in answer to your question, no raw gas pipeline in Rossport has ever received planning permission.

What law is ABP acting under in issuing the letter ?

[Galtee]

Planning application, as provided for by the amended Gas Act following on Frank Faheys botched attempt to use statutory instruments to do same.

[Gryire]

Thats what I thought and it underlines my belief that our policy makers really must widen their terms of reference when it comes to our energy future.

From talking to people in the corrib area, it is also plain that the initial negotiations were hangled in a very poor manner.

We are still doing the same with the renewable energy sector. Substitute Shell with Vestes and away we go again. Profits and jobs go outside the country. See attached article for a viewpoint from the UK sector.
http://energy.pressandjournal.co.uk/...e.aspx/1203551

[goosebump]

I have a very good knowledge of the Oil and Gas sector in the North Sea (worked thare from 1984 until 1999), both UK and Norwegian. Your comment displays a complete lack of knowledge about the reasons why Ireland has not delveloped its Oil and Gas Industry.

I was talking about the 1970s.

Norway?s oil history in 5 minutes - regjeringen.no

"With the Ekofisk discovery in 1969, the Norwegian oil adventure really began. Production from the field started on 15 June 1971, and in the following years a number of major discoveries were made. Exploration in the 1970s was confined to the area south of the 62nd parallel. The shelf was gradually opened, and only a restricted number of blocks were awarded in each licensing round. Foreign companies dominated exploration off Norway in the initial phase, and were responsible for developing the country's first oil and gas fields. Statoil was created in 1972, and the principle of 50 percent state participation in each production licence was established."

So tell us. What are we doing wrong?

[fiannafailure]

We are still doing the same with the renewable energy sector. Substitute Shell with Vestes and away we go again. Profits and jobs go outside the country. See attached article for a viewpoint from the UK sector.
Laying the foundations of a massive market opportunity - Energy

Well Spirit of Ireland now have wriiten expressions of interest, from major turbine manufacturers, on doing some of the manufacturing for our proposed project in Ireland, we were actually hamstrung in this endevour by the lack of government commitment on various aspects of Irelands energy policies and the lack of official interest in energy exports.