Engineers call for report on gas terminal location

mayo | environment | other press Saturday October 14, 2006 18:53 by supp

Irish TImes

Two chartered engineers have asked Marine Minister Noel Dempsey to commission a report on the “optimum location” for the Corrib gas terminal to try to break the deadlock over the E900 million project.

Former Bord Gais official Leo Corcoran and Brian Coyle in Galway have also recommended that Shell should suspend any work at Bellanaboy while a study like this is undertaken. The proposal came as a reaction to the endorsement of the Advantica safety review of the onshore pipeline by Engineers Ireland.

As well as criticising Engineers Ireland’s analysis, Mr Corcoran says that Advantica’s terms of reference were too limited.

In their report Mr Corcoran and Mr Coyle say the key issue is the location of the gas processing terminal 9km inland at Bellanaboy. It involves running a pipeline through special areas of conservation and special protection areas.

Both say that Shell’s proposal to change the pipeline route away from Rossport is not the answer. They point out that this is because Bellanaboy is not suitable as a terminal site and because it is close to the catchment for a major water supply for Erris. They advise that the terminal and any pipeline carrying unprocessed gas is kept well away from communities.