Written Answers. - Offshore Exploration.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
61
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Marine
and Natural Resources the minerals or other ores detected through exploration in the past number of years; whether previous evidence of their existence was available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3952/99]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
62
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Marine
and Natural Resources if the result of exploration for gas, oil or other minerals in recent times has given any indication as to the commercial value of these finds; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3953/99]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
63
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Marine
and Natural Resources the regions or regions, either throughout the country or offshore, which have shown the greatest potential arising from exploration in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3954/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 62 and 63 together and will deal separately with oil and gas and with other minerals since different legislative provisions apply to them.
As regards offshore petroleum exploration, there were important developments last year in relation to two hydrocarbon accumulations in our offshore, the Corrib gas accumulation and the Helvick oil field. Three other earlier discoveries of some significance were the Connemara oil field, the Seven Heads oil and gas accumulation and the south-west lobe of the Kinsale Head gasfield.
In the case of Corrib, located off the Mayo coast, in 1998 Enterprise Oil and their partners Saga Petroleum and Statoil Exploration (Ireland) Limited, drilled and tested an appraisal well, flaring gas on test at a stabilised rate of 63 million cubic feet of gas per day. It is not possible to give precise figures for the size of the gas accumulation at this stage, this will only be possible when the accumulation has been fully evaluated. The evaluation process will involve further appraisal work being carried out over the next two to three years and is expected to include the drilling of additional appraisal wells.
In May last year a ten year petroleum lease was granted to Providence Resources Plc over the Helvick oil field off the Waterford coast. Published figures indicate that it contains an estimated seven million barrels of recoverable oil together with associated gas. Under the terms of the petroleum lease, the company is required to submit a detailed plan of development for the field for my approval by 1 May 2000.
The Connemara oil field with an estimated 200 million barrels of oil in place was appraised in 1997 by Statoil, but the results were such that they concluded that they could not declare the field commercial.
The Seven Heads oil and gas accumulation, estimated to have at least 50 million barrels of oil and 100 billion cubic feet of gas in place, was offered to the industry last year under a lease undertaking round but no applications were received by my Department.
The south-west lobe of the Kinsale Head gas field, estimated to contain some 50 billion cubic feet of gas in place, is not being drained by the existing production facilities. Marathon, the operator, is currently considering the possibility of a programme of development to bring this into production.
I would add that the Government is committed to continuing to promote and encourage, to the fullest extent, hydrocarbon exploration in Irish waters so as to enhance the prospects of further commercial discoveries.
Prospecting or exploration for minerals or ores may only take place under and in compliance with a prospecting licence (PL) issued by me under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1995. The information gathered from previous exploration under PLs is made available by me to holders and potential holders of PLs through the Geological Survey of Ireland which also provides bedrock and other specialist maps. Whether a find is judged commercial is a commercial decision by the explorationist who manifests that decision to me by applying for a state mining facility (SMF) under the Acts. I have forwarded to the Deputy a table showing which minerals are being produced and where significant deposits have been found.
For more than 35 years Ireland has been recognised as a major zinc-lead country, with considerable potential for new discoveries in the limestone areas of central Ireland. There have been many discoveries, and Ireland is ranked in the top two countries in the world in terms of zinc and lead discovered per square kilometre. Some 80-90 per cent of current exploration expenditure in Ireland is focused on zinc and lead.
Ireland also has significant potential for economic gold deposits in the older rocks that border the central limestones e.g. in counties Longford, Mayo and Wexford. A number of deposits are known, and exploration is continuing.
