Seán Ryan
Question:274 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the current position regarding oil exploration in Dublin Bay. [20844/96]
Written Answers - Dublin Bay Oil Exploration.
To date three wells have been drilled off Dublin Bay, two in the Kish Bank Basin and the third on the flank of the basin. These wells were drilled in 1977, 1979 and 1986. In 1994 a licensing option was granted to Enterprise Oil plc in the basin and in July this year the company elected to convert the option into a licence. They were granted five blocks 31/16, 33/17, 33/18, 33/21 and 33/22 under the exclusive exploration licence.
A condition of the licence is that the company carries out an agreed work programme which includes drilling an exploration well during the first three years of the licence. Enterprise intended drilling the well this year, after completing their drilling operations off the west coast. However, unforeseen delays in completing the west coast drilling operations led to a postponement of the well and I now expect it will be drilled next year. I welcome this renewed interest in the basin.