I propose to take Questions Nos. 1041 to 1044, inclusive, together.
In advance of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round, the Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment 5 process was undertaken by my Department and included consideration of potential environmental impacts which may arise specifically as a result of petroleum exploration activities.
Any exploration activity proposed to be carried out under a petroleum authorisation (e.g. a seismic survey or drilling of a well) is subject to assessment of compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive, the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.
Geophysical surveys (which include seismic surveys) do not fall under Annex I or II of the EIA Directive as amended. However, such surveys fall to be assessed under the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Petroleum Exploration) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 134/2013). An assessment is carried out based on the information included in the application to determine whether a survey would require preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report if it is considered that it would result in significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of the nature, size and location of the survey.
Applications for seismic surveys are considered against a range of technical and environmental considerations, and in respect of environmental considerations the procedures are as follows:
The applicant must submit an Environmental Risk Assessment and a Natura Impact Screening (Appropriate Assessment) Statement in support of the application to commence surveying activities including consideration of cumulative effects. These documents are made available on my Department's website.
The Environmental Risk Assessment is reviewed for my Department by an independent consultancy, with the required expertise in ecological and conservation marine biology, to assess whether or not it meets the scope and quality of requirements set out or implied by the specific European and Irish Environmental Impact Assessment legislation and guidelines. The independent consultancy also reviews the Natura Impact Screening Statement to ensure that the requirements of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations, 2011 for an assessment to be carried out on any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on a protected site or species have been met. In addition, the National Parks and Wildlife Service is requested to provide its observations in terms of Natura 2000 sites, where relevant, and Annex IV species (Cetaceans) in accordance with the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC).
Following receipt of these reviews a determination is made as to whether an Environmental Impact Assessment Report or a stage 2 Appropriate Assessment is required. The determination is published on my Department's website.
Any observations received from prescribed bodies, interested parties or the general public regarding the potential environmental effects of the activity proposed in the application are considered as part of the consent decision making process.
The following table outlines seismic surveys carried out in the Irish offshore over the period 2011 to date.
|
Month and year that survey commenced
|
Survey area name
|
Relevant Petroleum Authorisation
|
Survey Identification
|
Company
|
Contractor
|
|
05/2011
|
Porcupine Basin
|
EL1/04
|
2011/01
|
San Leon Energy
|
PGS
|
|
06/2011
|
Celtic Sea
|
LO08/1, PP1/10
|
2011/02
|
Providence Resources
|
Polarcus
|
|
07/2011
|
Celtic Sea
|
EL5/08
|
2011/03
|
Lansdowne Celtic Sea
|
Polarcus
|
|
07/2011
|
Celtic Sea
|
EL5/07
|
2011/04
|
Lansdowne Celtic Sea
|
Polarcus
|
|
07/2011
|
Celtic Sea
|
EL4/07
|
2011/05
|
Lansdowne Celtic Sea
|
Polarcus
|
|
07/2011
|
Porcupine Basin
|
EL4/08
|
2011/06
|
Providence Resources
|
Polarcus
|
|
07/2012
|
Slyne Basin
|
Corrib Lease, PPL1/12
|
2012/01
|
Shell E&P Ireland
|
Reservoir Exploration Technology
|
|
03/2013
|
Slyne Basin
|
Corrib Lease, PPL1/12
|
2013/01
|
Shell E & P Ireland Limited
|
Reservoir Exploration Technology
|
|
04/2013
|
North Celtic Sea Basin Deep Kinsale
|
PPL5/13
|
2013/02
|
Fastnet Oil and Gas (Ireland) Limited
|
CGG Veritas
|
|
05/2013
|
Mizzen Basin North Celtic Sea Basin
|
PPL5/13
|
2013/03
|
Fastnet Oil and Gas (Ireland) Limited
|
CGG Veritas
|
|
05/2013
|
Atlantic Margin Basin Offshore West of Ireland
|
PPL1/13
|
2013/04
|
ENI Ireland BV
|
BGP
|
|
07/2013
|
North Celtic Sea and Fastnet Basin
|
PPL2/13
|
2013/07
|
PGS Exploration (UK) Ltd
|
PGS
|
|
07/2013
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL8/13
|
2013/05
|
Kosmos Energy Ireland
|
Polarcus
|
|
10/2013
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL8/13
|
2013/06
|
Kosmos Energy Ireland
|
Polarcus
|
|
04/2014
|
West of Ireland
|
PPL1/13
|
2014/01
|
ENI Ireland
|
BGP
|
|
07/2014
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL2/14
|
2014/02
|
Polarcus
|
Polarcus
|
|
08/2014
|
Porcupine Basin
|
EL1/14, PPL3/14
|
2014/03
|
Capricorn Ireland
|
Dolphin Geophysical
|
|
08/2014
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL4/14
|
2014/04
|
Seabird Exploration
|
Harrier Navigation
|
|
03/2015
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL5/14
|
2015/01
|
Searcher Seismic
|
JSC MAGE
|
|
07/2015
|
North Celtic Sea Basin
|
PPL4/14
|
2015/02
|
Seabird Exploration
|
JSC MAGE
|
|
05/2016
|
East Porcupine Basin
|
PPL2/16
|
2016/01
|
Woodside Energy Pty Ltd
|
PGS
|
|
05/2016
|
North Porcupine Basin
|
PPL2/16, FEL 3/14 and 5/14
|
2016/02
|
Woodside Energy Pty Ltd
|
PGS
|
|
06/2016
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL5/16
|
2016/03
|
CGG Services SA
|
CGG
|
|
07/2016
|
South Porcupine Basin
|
PPL5/16
|
2016/04
|
CGG Services SA
|
CGG
|
|
04/2017
|
South Porcupine Basin
|
PPL5/16
|
2017/01
|
CGG Services SA
|
CGG
|
|
05/2017
|
South Porcupine Basin
|
PPL5/16
|
2017/02
|
CGG Services SA
|
CGG
|
|
05/2017
|
Porcupine Basin (North)
|
PPL5/16
|
2017/03
|
CGG Services SA
|
CGG
|
|
07/2017
|
Porcupine Basin
|
PPL8/16
|
2017/04
|
TGS - NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA
|
Shearwater Geoservices
|
In the period 2011 to date individual seismic survey and drilling applications have been determined as not requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment Report or a Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment.
In evaluating applications for consent to undertake a seismic survey consideration is given to the potential cumulative effects of the survey.
All consented surveys must comply with temporal restrictions and risk management measures as well as MMO visual-based detection, as contained in "Guidance to Manage the Risk to Marine Mammals from Man-made Sound Sources in Irish Waters", produced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
