The Corrib Gas Field, which is the second significant gas discovery off the coast of Ireland, will be a vital source of indigenous gas supply. While the Corrib co-venturers are working to ensuring the development of the project, it has been necessary today to announce the postponement of the offshore pipelaying component of the project. Announcing the decision, Enterprise Energy Ireland’s Managing Director Mr. Andy Pyle said: “Corrib
is a hugely important project for Ireland and the Corrib co-venturers remain committed to its development”.
The work, which was due to commence later this month, has been postponed pending a detailed review of the Corrib project following the recent takeover by Shell of Enterprise Oil. As a result of the postponement of the offshore pipelaying and, subject to satisfactory planning permission for
the gas reception terminal at Bellanaboy, Co. Mayo being granted, first gas from the field should be brought ashore by late 2004.
Andy Pyle continued, “We are currently working to address a number of
issues raised by An Bord Pleanála relating to the proposed onshore site for the gas reception terminal at Bellanaboy. While we believe that the Bellanaboy site is the most suitable one for the onshore terminal, we are currently working to address the queries raised by An Bord Pleanála to support that view. As this review and the An Bord Pleanála evaluation process will take some months, we feel it is prudent to postpone the laying of the offshore pipeline until the status of the proposed onshore terminal site is confirmed”.
The company said that the current preparatory work on the landfall area shall continue for a period while further investigative work on the proposed terminal site will be carried out over the coming weeks.
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