Michael Ring
Ceist:108 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the matters he must take into consideration before issuing a petroleum lease. [5781/01]
Written Answers. - Environmental Policy.
Michael Ring
Ceist:110 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he can issue a petroleum lease without having fully considered a complete and accurate plan of development and environmental impact statements. [5783/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 110 together.
Under the Department's licensing terms for offshore oil and gas exploration and development 1992 when a commercial discovery has been established it will be the duty of the authority holder to so notify the Minister for Marine and Natural Resources and to apply forthwith for a petroleum lease with a view to its development. Enterprise Energy Ireland having discovered gas in the Corrib field off the Mayo coast declared the field commercial last January and applied to me for a petroleum lease to develop it. This lease application is still under consideration in my Department. Such applications shall include the outline development proposals, financial and marketing plan for the exploitation of the discovery based on the applicant's considered likely production profile and an outline statement of the likely effects on the proposed development on the environment. Before a lease can be issued by me I must be satisfied by reference to the likely production profile and the applicants outline development, financial and marketing plans that a commercial discovery has been made.
When a lease has been issued the leaseholder is obliged, under the licensing terms, to submit to me within two years of the date of issue of the petroleum lease a detailed plan of development in a format specified by me but including a detailed production profile for the life of the field for my approval. The legislative framework governing petroleum exploration and development is the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960, as amended. Section 13A of this Act requires that the plan of Development submitted for my approval under the terms of a lease must be accompanied by an environmental impact statement, EIS. The grant of the petroleum lease will therefore take place prior to my giving approval to either a plan of development or the environmental impact statement.
The grant of a petroleum lease does not authorise in any way the lessee to engage in any development work leading to or associated with the extraction of oil or gas. Any such development work can only occur following the approval of the plan of development and the environmental impact statement.