130 objections lodged against Shell licence application

By: 
Lorna Siggins & Áine Ryan - Irish Times

THE DEPARTMENT of the Environment has received more than 130 submissions in response to a foreshore licence application by Shell EP Ireland for investigative work in north Mayo’s Sruwaddacon estuary.

The company aims to drill up to 80 boreholes in the estuary, which is a candidate Special Area of Conservation (SAC), as part of site investigation work for the Corrib gas onshore pipeline route.

The work, costing between €5 million and €10 million according to the company, will take place over a five- to seven-month period in the narrow intertidal estuary running between the communities of Rossport, Glengad and Pollathomas.

Late last year, An Bord Pleanála suggested that the Corrib gas developers might explore the estuary as an alternative to a modified onshore route. The board found half of the modified 9km route to be “unacceptable” on safety grounds, due to proximity to housing in Rossport and between Glengad and Aughoose.

Shell consultants RPS had ruled against running the high-pressure pipeline through Sruwaddacon on environmental and technical grounds two years ago.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0226/1224265203638.html

Gormley 'should protect conservation area', say Shell to Sea

Shell to Sea have called on Minister for Environment John Gormley to protect the environment and turn down Shell's application for a Foreshore Licence which would entail carrying out destructive surveying works in Sruwaddacon Estuary. Sruthwaddacon estuary is a Special Protection Area (SPA) and forms part of the Glenamoy Bog Complex Special Area for Conservation (SAC). The closing date for submissions was Tuesday, 23rd February.

In the application, Shell propose to drill up to 80 boreholes over a period of five to seven months.

Press Release: Shell starting to recognise that inland refinery is not viable

Major rally planned for jailed fisherman Pat O’Donnell at GPO, Dublin on Saturday at 2pm 

 

Shell’s decision to suspend key parts of its work on the Corrib Gas project is the beginning of a recognition by the company that its experimental inland refinery project is “not going to work”, according to the Shell to Sea campaign. 

“Shell is finally conceding that it cannot steamroll ahead with a dangerous project against the wishes of the receiving community,” Dublin Shell to Sea spokesperson Caoimhe Kerins said. 

 

“Although this announcement is a significant victory for the local community, other major works will still be going ahead, while fisherman Pat O’Donnell is out of Shell’s way in prison. This means that 2010 is set to be another year of disruption for the community, continued harassment and intimidation by Gardai and Shell security, as well as the unlawful arrest and the targeted jailing of key campaigners.” 

Shell confirms key parts of Corrib gas project postponed

By: 
Lorna Siggins - Irish Times

 SHELL EP Ireland has confirmed that work on several key aspects of the Corrib gas project will not now take place this year.

The company told The Irish Times yesterday that the decision was taken for “operational and community reasons”.

It will undertake further work on the offshore pipeline this year, but intends to take an “integrated approach” to the offshore/onshore dimension next year, when it hopes that “permitting processes” will be “further advanced”.

In a letter to stakeholders issued by Shell managing director Terry Nolan, he says that the laying of the 84m umbilical, which provides the link between the Ballinaboy terminal and the Corrib field for remote control of subsea gas production facilities, will be postponed until next year.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0218/1224264714612.html

Shell Ireland: Nigeria North

By: 
David Rovics

Ireland: The Arrest of Pat O'Donnell

In a country with the kind of tumultuous history that Ireland has it's not surprising that a man being arrested and jailed for seven months would escape the notice of the media, at least outside of Ireland. What should hopefully pique some interest is that this is a man with a long history of being bullied, intimidated, arrested and treated roughly by the authorities for his nonviolent resistance against Shell Oil's construction of a gas pipeline, and now the judge is calling him a bully and jailing him for seven months on the extremely dubious charge of intimidating an officer.

Link: 

http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/5635-shell-ireland-nigeria-north....

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