Presentation to the North West Mayo Forum

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Presentation to the North West Mayo
Forum

• Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of the
  Corrib Gas Field

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Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of
the Corrib Gas Field

• Section 5 of the Continental Shelf Act, 1968
  Ministerial Consent for the construction of the
  offshore installation within the Continental
  Shelf Designated Areas given on 15 April, 2002.

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Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of
the Corrib Gas Field

• Section 13 of Petroleum and Other Minerals
  Development Act, 1960 - Grant of Petroleum Lease.
  Ministerial Approval given to the Plan of
  Development on 15 April, 2002 for the Corrib Gas
  project from gas field to terminal inclusive.

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Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of
the Corrib Gas Field

• Section 40 of the Gas Act, 1976, as amended
  Ministerial consent given for the construction of
  the associated Corrib gas pipeline from the Gas
  Field through the offshore and up to the terminal
  building on 15 April, 2002.

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Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of
the Corrib Gas Field

• Section 3 of the Foreshore Act, 1933 as amended
  Ministerial grant of Foreshore Licence in respect
  of the routing of the gas pipeline through the
  foreshore connecting the gas field and the land
  installation on 17 May, 2002.

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Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of
the Corrib Gas Field

• Planning and Development Act Planning
  Permission granted in respect of the land based
  installation (terminal) on 22 October, 2004
  subject to a number of conditions

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Existing Authorisations Granted in respect of
the Corrib Gas Field

• Section 83 of the Environmental Protection Act,
  1992 an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC)
  Licence was granted for the operation of the
  terminal in November 2007

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Process for Administration of Approval for Plan
of Development / Permission to Construct a
Pipeline

• Safety
• Environment
• Fitness for purpose

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How this process was implemented in respect of
the Corrib Application

• 2002 Consents supported by Environmental Impact
  Statement (EIS).
• EIS set out the basis for the project, the
  reasons behind the selection of the development
  option and a comprehensive and technical outline
  of the project and how it would operate.
• Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC) was
  appointed by the Minister to consider the
  environmental implications of the proposed Corrib
  Gas Field Development in light of the
  applications for statutory permissions.

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How this process was implemented in respect of
the Corrib Application

• The applications for
• Foreshore Licence
• Approval for Plan of Development
• Pipeline Consent
• entailed publication for consultation of a two
  part EIS covering both the marine and land-based
  elements of the project.

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How this process was implemented in respect of
the Corrib Application

• Independent Analysis
• MLVC considered
• Two part EIS
• Submissions received on foot of public
  consultation including the views of the
  Department of the Environment NPWS)
• The responses of the intending developer to
  submissions received
• The developers responses to queries raised by the
  MLVC
• Reports by both the Departments Consultants ERM
  (adequacy of the EIS) and the MLVCs own
  consultants Posford Haskoning (terminal)
• MLVC recommended that the project should be given
  the relevant statutory permissions subject to a
  number of conditions.

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Community Concerns

• Following concerns expressed by the members of
  local community in mid-2005 the Corrib Developers
  agreed to suspend works pending the outcome of an
  independent safety review.
• In the meantime - mediator Mr. Peter Cassells
  appointed by Minister to try and reach agreement
  between the local community and the developers.

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Community Concerns

• Mediation process resulted in a series of
  recommendations, one of which was that
• Shell modify the route of the pipeline in the
  vicinity of Rossport to address community
  concerns regarding proximity to housing
• Developers agreed and following several months of
  consultation on possible alternative onshore
  pipeline routes, a new application was made to
  the Minister for Communications, Energy and
  Natural Resources in April, 2008.

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Monitoring for Terminal, Sub-sea and Pipeline
Works

• Monitoring of the construction of the Terminal is
  carried out by Mayo County Council as part of the
  planning process
• Monitoring of the Sub-sea Works is carried out by
  DCENR through regular (usually monthly) meetings
  between the Department, the Developer and its
  Consultants.
• Monitoring of Pipeline works are undertaken
  through reporting by the Developer to both DCENR
  and the Environmental Monitoring Group
  established as a condition of the pipeline
  consent and through site visits.

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Current Position

• Preliminary examination of the EIS accompanying
  the application submitted to the Minister for
  Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in
  April, 2008 in respect of the modified route of
  the gas pipeline identified a requirement for
  additional information.
• The Developers revoked (January 2009) this
  application and propose to submit an integrated
  new application to the Minister in February 2009.

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Current Position

• This will result in new applications by the
  Developer to
• An Bórd Pleanála re Planning permission for the
  pipeline
• The Minister for Communications, Energy and
  Natural Resources for Consent to construct the
  pipeline and the associated amendment to the Plan
  of Development
• The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
  for a Foreshore Licence