Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004
271 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of oil drilling or other ore or mineral explorations currently in hand; the firms or agents involved; if there are positive indications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31507/04]
View answerThere is no oil drilling exploration in hand. There are 37 current authorisations for petroleum, which covers both oil and gas. The latest acreage report which sets out details of the authorisations and the companies involved is set out below.
New exploration for non-petroleum minerals is continuously undertaken as part of my requirements to holders of prospecting licences, of which there were 273 current on 1 November 2004. Details of the holders of these licenses can be found in the six monthly report to the Oireachtas which I am obliged to lay before the House under the Minerals Development Acts 1940 to 1999. The last such report was in respect of the six-month period ended 30 June 2004.
With regard to positive indications from these explorations, I would refer the Deputy to the answer I gave to Questions Nos. 44 and 126 on 21 October 2004. The position has not changed since then.
|
Commencement Date |
Blocks/Area of Lease |
Participants (* = Operator) |
|
|
Offshore Petroleum Lease No. 1: Kinsale/Ballycotton |
7 May, 1970 |
48/20, 48/25, 49/16 & 49/21(Area: 1,003.03 km2) |
* Marathon Oil Ireland Limited. |
|
Corrib Petroleum Lease |
15 November, 2001 |
18/20 (p) & 18/25 (p)(Area: 29.28 km2) |
* Shell E & P Ireland Limited Marathon International Petroleum Hibernia Ltd. Statoil Exploration (Ireland) Ltd. |
|
Seven Heads Petroleum Lease |
13 November, 2002 |
48/22 (p), 48/23 (p), 48/24 (p), 48/27 (p), 48/28 (p), 48/29 (p) & 48/30 (p)(Area: 291.5 km2) |
* Ramco Seven Heads Ltd. Island Petroleum Developments Ltd. Northern Exploration Ltd. Sunningdale Oils (Ireland) Ltd. |
|
Licence |
Licence Period |
Block No. |
Area |
Participants(* = Operator) |
% Interest |
|
2/93 Deepwater |
1 January, 1993 — 31 December, 2004 |
18/25 (p), 18/30(p), 27/4, 27/5 (p) & 27/9 (p) |
730.3 km2 |
* Shell E& P Ireland Ltd. Statoil Exploration (Ireland) Ltd. Marathon International Petroleum Hibernia Ltd. |
45%1136.5%118.5% |
|
2/94 Frontier |
15 March, 1994 — 14 March, 2010 |
12/2 (p), 12/3 (p), 12/7 (p), & 12/8 (p) |
465.6 km2 |
* Shell E& P Ireland Ltd. Eni Ireland BVOMV (Ireland) Exploration GMBH |
50%40%110% |
|
3/94 Frontier |
15 March, 1994 — 14 March, 2010 |
18/14 (p), 18/15 (p), 18/19 (p) & 18/20 (p) |
467.2 km2 |
* Shell E& P Ireland Ltd. Statoil Exploration (Ireland) Ltd. Marathon International Petroleum Hibernia Ltd. |
45%136.5%1118.5% |
|
5/94 Frontier |
15 March, 1994 — 14 March, 2010 |
19/2 (p), 19/3 (p), 19/4 (p), 19/7 (p), 19/8, 19/11 (p), 19/12 (p), 19/16 (p), 19/17 (p) & 19/21 (p) |
1,316.04 km2 |
* Statoil Exploration (Ireland) Ltd. Enterprise Energy Ireland Offshore Inc. Murphy Ireland Offshore Ltd.Shell E& P Ireland Ltd. |
130%130%125%115% |
|
7/97 Frontier |
4 June, 1997 — 3 June, 2013 |
11/20, 11/23, 11/24, 11/25, 11/28, 12/11 12/12 & 12/16 |
1,883.2 km2 |
* Eni Ireland BV |
100% |
|
1/99 Frontier |
15 March, 1999 — 14 March, 2014 |
43/19, 43/20, 43/24, 43/25, 43/28 & 43/29 |
1,553.6 km2 |
* Eni Ireland BV |
100% |
|
1/04 Frontier |
15 April, 2004 — 14 April, 2019 |
26/27 (p), 26/28, 35/2 (p) & 35/3 (p) |
622.06 km2 |
* Island Assets Porcupine LimitedX-IPEC LimitedValhalla Oil and Gas A.S. |
140%35%125% |
|
Option No. |
Option Period |
Blocks |
Participants (* = Operator) |
% Interest |
|
00/2 |
1 March, 2000 — 28 February, 2001 (extended to 28 February, 2002)Further authorisation under discussion |
13/7, 13/11 (p) & 13/12 (p) |
* Ramco Oil and Gas Ltd. Island Petroleum Developments Ltd. Sunningdale Oils (Ireland) Ltd. |
70%120%110% |
|
03/1 |
1 January 2003 — 31 December, 2003 (Extended to 31 December, 2004) |
48/29 (p), 48/30 (p), 49/22 (p), 49/23 (p), 49/26, 49/27 (p), 49/28 (p), 57/4 (p), 57/5 (p) 58/1 (p) & 58/2 (p) |
* Providence Resources Plc. Midmar Energy Ltd. |
75%25% |
|
03/2 |
01 February, 2003 — 31 July, 2004Extension to authorisation under discussion |
49/11 (p) & 49/12 (p) |
* Ramco Oil and Gas Ltd. |
100% |
|
03/3 |
18 August , 2003 — 31 December, 2004 (Extended to 31 December, 2005) |
57/3 (p), 57/4(p), 57/8(p), & 57/9 (p) |
*Astral Petroleum Resources (Ireland) Limited |
1100% |
|
03/4 |
15 September, 2003 — 14 September, 2004 |
49/17 (p), 49/22 (p) & 49/23 (p). |
*Island Expro LimitedPetroceltic International plcCeltex Exploration Services LtdCarob LtdBexley Investments Ltd |
50%38%5.142856%13.428572%3.428572% |
|
03/5 |
15 September, 2003 — 14 September, 2004 Extension to authorisation under discussion |
48/22 (p), 48/23 (p), 48/24 (p), 48/27 (p),48/28 (p),48/29 (p) and 48/30 (p) |
*Ramco Oil & Gas LimitedIsland Petroleum Development LimitedSunningdale Oils (Ireland) Limited |
74%125%11% |
|
03/6 |
15 September, 2003 — 14 September, 2004 Extension to authorisation under discussion |
48/17 (p), 48/18 (p), 48/19 (p), 48/22 (p), 48/23 (p) & 48/24 (p) |
*Ramco Oil & Gas LimitedIsland Petroleum Development LimitedSunningdale Oils (Ireland) Limited |
76.4%122%11.6% |
|
03/7 |
01 October, 2003 — 30 September, 2006 |
41/25 (p), 42/21 (p), 41/30 (p), 42/26 (p), 51/1 (p) |
*Providence Resources Plc Midmar Energy Limited |
80%20% |
|
03/8 |
01 October, 2003 — 30 September, 2006 |
49/8 (p), 49/9 (p), 49/13 (p), 49/14 (p), 49/18 (p), 49/19 (p), 50/6 (p), 50/7 (p), 50/8 (p), 50/9 (p), and 50/11 (p) |
*Providence Resources Plc Midmar Energy Limited |
80% 20% |
|
03/10 |
24 November, 2003 — 23 November, 2005 |
49/17 (p), 49/18 (p), 49/23 (p) |
*Ramco Oil & Gas Limited |
100% |
|
04/1 |
1 March, 2004 — 28 February 2005 |
49/22 (p), 49/23 (p), 49/24 (p), 49/25 (p) |
*Circle Oil Company Limited |
100% |
|
04/2 |
13 April, 2004 — 12 October 2005 |
48/26 (p), 48/27 (p), 57/1, 57/2 (p) |
*Island Expro LimitedCeltex Exploration Services LimitedCarob LimitedBexley Investments Limited |
55%115%15% 15% |
|
04/3 |
1 July, 2004 — 31 December, 2004 |
49/23 (p),49/27 (p), 49/28 (p), 58/2 (p), 58/3 (p) |
*Providence Resources plc |
100% |
|
04/4 |
1 October, 2004 — 30 September, 2005 |
55/14, 55/15 |
*Petroceltic International plc |
100% |
|
04/5 |
20 October, 2004 to 19 October, 2005 |
50/16, 50/17 |
*Black Rock Oil & Gas plc |
100% |
|
04/6 |
20 October, 2004 to 19 October, 2006 |
56/15, 56/20, 57/7, 57/11, 57/12, 57/16 (p) |
*Black Rock Oil & Gas plc |
100% |
|
04/7 |
20 October, 2004 to 19 October, 2006 |
56/5, 56/10, 57/1 (p) , 57/6 |
*Black Rock Oil & Gas plc |
100% |
|
04/8 |
20 October, 2004 to 19 October, 2006 |
41/15 (p), 41/20 (p), 41/25 (p), 42/3, 42/4, 42/7, 42/8, 42/11, 42/12, 42/13, 42/14, 42/16, 42/17, 42/18, 42/19, 42/21 (p), 42/22, 42/23, 42/26 (p), 42/27 |
*Black Rock Oil & Gas plc |
100% |
|
Option No. |
Option Period |
Area |
Participants(* = Operator) |
% Interest |
|
ON04/1 |
13 April, 2004 — 12 October, 2005 |
Northwest Carboniferous Basin, over parts of Counties Cavan and Leitrim |
* Finavera Ltd. |
100% |
|
ON04/2 |
1 October, 2004 — 12 October, 2005 |
Northwest Carboniferous Basin, over parts of Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon and Mayo |
* Finavera Ltd. |
100% |
|
Licence No. |
No. of Years |
Licence From |
Licensee |
|
3/00 |
3 |
08 June, 2000 (extended to 07 June, 2005) |
Shell E & P Ireland Ltd. |
|
1/03 |
3 |
08 March, 2003 |
Ramco Oil and Gas Ltd. |
|
3/03 |
3 |
10 June, 2003 |
PGS Exploration (UK) Ltd. |
|
4/03 |
3 |
18 August, 2003 |
Astral Petroleum Resources (Ireland) Limited |
|
5/03 |
3 |
25 September, 2003 |
Island Expro Limited. |
|
1/04 |
3 |
01 January, 2004 |
Providence Resources plc |
|
2/04 |
3 |
01 March, 2004 |
Circle Oil Company Limited |
|
3/04 |
3 |
1 October, 2004 |
Petroceltic International plc |
|
4/04 |
3 |
20 October, 2004 |
Black Rock Oil & Gas plc |
|
Licence No. |
No. of Years |
Licence From |
Licensee |
|
ON1/04 |
3 |
13 April, 2004 |
Finavera Limited. |
