Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:174 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the prospects for mining exploration onshore and offshore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16186/03]
Written Answers. - Onshore and Offshore Exploration.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 261 on 15 April 2003. There has been no substantial change since then. There were 315 prospecting licences at the end of May 2003. There are no current licences for minerals exploration offshore nor is there any application for one.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:175 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in regard to oil, gas or other mineral finds; if new prospects, commercial or otherwise have emerged in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16187/03]
Within the last 18 months, two petroleum leases, for the Corrib gas field and the Seven Heads gas accumulation, have been signed. Production from Seven Heads is set to commence later this year and production from Corrib will depend on the outcome of the developers re-evaluation of options following the refusal of planning permission by An Bord Pleanála. In addition there will be a small satellite development, south-west Kinsale Greensand, in the Kinsale gas field to access gas reserves that were not being drained effectively by the existing Kinsale gas field wells. The target date for gas production is July 2003.
Last November, I launched the Porcupine licensing initiative. Its purpose is to re-open the Porcupine region, closed since 1999, for exploration. The region will be opened for licensing in four tranches as it covers a large area, 241 full blocks. Some wells have been drilled there in the past but it still has real exploration potential. Regrettably, there were no applications in relation to the first tranche which had a closing date of 15 March 2003.
The results from the Dooish well which was drilled off Donegal last year by Enterprise Energy Ireland also gives grounds for optimism. The company are carrying out further appraisal of the well this year. My Department has long held that there is exploration potential within these frontier areas and these results further vindicate this view. A further exploration well will be drilled by Statoil in the Slyne-Erris basin in 2003 under a licence commitment.
With regard to non-petroleum minerals no new economic deposits have been discovered in recent years. There have been some encouraging results, however. Exploration adjacent to existing base metal mines at Navan, County Meath – Tara Mines Limited – and Galmoy, County Kilkenny – Arcon Mines Limited – has discovered additional resources which have the potential to extend the life of those mines. A good zinc prospect area near Pallasgreen, County Limerick, also has the potential to host an economic deposit and exploration is continuing. The acid test of commerciality with any new discovery is that having made a find the explorationist is then prepared to invest in planning for mining and so makes the necessary applications for permits to me, to the relevant county council and to the EPA. New exploration is continuously undertaken as part of my requirements to holders of prospecting licences, of which there were 315 current at the end of May 2003.