Emmet Stagg
Question:10 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the latest information available to him on the results from test drilling for oil and gas in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23346/01]
Other Questions - Offshore Exploration.
Commitments under existing licences have resulted in an increase in offshore drilling activity this year. Three exploration wells were drilled, one by Enterprise Energy Ireland Limited in the Rockall Trough, one by Statoil in the Porcupine Basin and the third by EDC (Europe) Limited in the Fastnet Basin. The results in each case were disappointing and all three wells have been plugged and abandoned.
Two predevelopment wells have been drilled by Marathon in the south-west Kinsale area of the North Celtic Sea Basin. A further appraisal well was drilled by Enterprise Energy Ireland in the Corrib prospect in the Slyne Basin. An appraisal well is currently being drilled in the Seven Heads area of the North Celtic Sea Basin by Ramco Oil and Gas and, depending on the results, a further appraisal well may be drilled in that area.
I should mention that well commitments beyond 2001 only amount to between three and six for the entire Irish offshore. In addition, the number of offshore exploration licences has fallen to 13 compared to a peak of 32 in 1997 and it is expected that some more licences will be relinquished by the end of the year.
How many licences have been issued in the Kinsale field area? Since the question was tabled, there has been an announcement that gas has been located there. Is the Minister of State's Department aware of the content of the drillings and what the field would yield?
I read today's report on a huge Ramco gas find off Cork to power up the economy. Again, I would caution people everywhere, including Members, that, while it reads good, we do not have sufficient information to hint at it being a great find. I suggest it is premature to draw conclusions in regard to the size of the Seven Heads gas accumulation, let alone whether it is sufficiently large and productive to be commercial. Upon completion of the current test, the test data will have to be analysed in detail and then integrated into reservoir and development models. For such models to be reliable it will be necessary to have at least one more appraisal well drilled.
Deputy Deasy, briefly.
It seems the newspapers have better information than the Minister of State. I wonder is it accurate. Perhaps some of the people working on the drilling rigs have come ashore and spilled the beans. Perhaps the Department has not yet got the true picture. Do today's bullish reports in the newspapers indicating that the Seven Heads field is economic look like the true picture?
I cannot comment on whether it is the true picture. However, I would urge caution because the test data will have to be analysed in detail and then integrated into reservoir and development models. For such models to be reliable, it will be necessary to have at least one more appraisal well drilled. I would like to think that we have up-to-date and accurate information. We are not garnishing it because I do not think it would be in anyone's interest to do so. We are telling it as it is. There is no guarantee at this stage that we can accept what the newspapers suggest.