The local authorities in Ireland’s County Mayo have given the green light for building a gas receiving terminal for the Corrib development off the west coast – subject to the statutory appeals process.
Statoil has a 36.5 per cent interest in this field, which is operated by Enterprise with 45 per cent. Marathon is the remaining partner with 18.5 per cent.
The terminal will be built at Bellanaboy Bridge on the County Mayo coast. According to the partners, particular attention has been paid to protecting the local environment in choosing this site.
Approved in February, plans for Corrib embrace seven subsea wells in 350 metres of water. These will be tied back directly by pipeline to the land terminal.
Treated gas will enter Ireland’s existing gas transport network, with state-owned Bord Gáis Éireann responsible for ensuring that the national infrastructure has been expanded in time.
Corrib is due to come on stream in 2003, and will deliver roughly 8.9 million cubic metres of gas per day once plateau production is reached the following year.
The field contains 20-24 billion cubic metres of gas. This will be consumed entirely in Ireland, reports Corrib project manager Stuart Bovaird at Statoil Exploration Ireland.