January 2010

An Bord Pleanála (ABP) has rejected the proposed route for the Corrib pipeline as “unacceptable” on safety grounds. The ruling was unequivocal: houses along the route were “within the hazard range of the pipeline should a failure occur”, while “design documentation” and “risk assessment” fail to “present a complete, transparent and adequate demonstration that the pipeline does not pose an unacceptable risk to the public”. The decision also noted the Shell failed to include part of the onshore pipeline route in its application. The ruling vindicated a ten-year campaign which has seen local residents become experts on complex, technical aspects of gas production, while they also learnt a thing or two about state persecution and political treachery.

While An Bord Pleanála's statement clearly dismissed the project in its current form, it also contained a disturbing conclusion, that “provisionally” the board would “approve the proposed onshore pipeline development should certain 'alterations' be made”.

Shell must respond by February 2010 but their options are limited as the company has already discounted alternative routes on financial and environmental grounds.

The ESB has plans to develop three wave energy sites off the Irish coast, including one at Broad have n Bay, in Co Mayo, where the Shell gas pipeline has caused controversy.

The electricity firm has applied for foreshore licences to investigate the potential for wave energy in Broadhaven Bay and Blacksod Bay in Co Mayo and Ballinskelligs Bay in Co Kerry.

A spokeswoman for ESB said that the applications were the first step that the energy firm had to take to explore the potential of the sites for wave energy.

EXXON MOBIL, the largest US energy company, is offering stakes in two natural gas fields off the Irish coast for sale to help fund exploratory drilling.

The Dunquin North and Dunquin South prospects hold combined recoverable reserves of 8.4 trillion cubic feet of gas and 316 million barrels of condensate, according to an offering document posted on Schlumberger Ltd’s IndigoPool Web site.

Exxon Mobil is trimming its shares in the Dunquin fields for a second time in less than a year.

At a well attended press launching in Dublin, human rights activists Andy Storey, Dennis Halliday and Benny McCabe outlined some of the history over the last ten years since Shell arrived in Erris, County Mayo, Ireland.

Dennis Halliday, Benny McCabe & Andy Storey (Photo - Michael Gallagher - http://www.myspace.com/libertypix)

Human rights organisation AFri is calling for a suspension of all work on the Corrib project in Erris County Mayo, pending an independent and comprehensive investigation of it's safety, human rights, economic and environmental dimensions. Afri is asking people to sign a petition to that effect, which will be delivered to the government next month.

Sign the petition online here: http://petitions.contact.ie/content/suspend-work-corrib-gas-project-pend...