Minister Power extends area on offer for oil and gas exploration licenses under the 2009 Rockall Licensing Round

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Mr. Seán Power T.D. today announced that he has decided to extend the area to be opened for licensing in the 2009 Rockall Licensing Round to include the north-western margin of the Rockall Basin. This will bring the total acreage on offer under the round to 117,100 square kilometres.

In announcing the expanded area, the Minister said that “this is the first time since 1997, that such a major part of the Rockall Basin has been the subject of a licensing round. Recent technical studies have indicated a significant petroleum potential within the Rockall Basin. It is timely, therefore, that the oil and gas exploration industry be offered an opportunity to commit to invest in new exploration programmes in the basin.”

The Minister said that building on the success of the two most recent licensing rounds (Porcupine 2008 and Slyne\Erris\Donegal 2006) and the increased pace of drilling activity offshore Ireland, he was confident that the Rockall Round would attract significant interest from exploration companies.

Applications for Frontier Exploration Licences covering blocks in the round will be invited in quarter four 2008 with a closing date for applications in quarter two 2009.

D’fhógair an tAire Stáit ag an Roinn Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha Seán Uasal de Paor T.D. inniu go raibh cinnte aige an t-achar a bheadh ar fáil le haghaidh a cheadúnú i mBabhta Ceadúnaithe Racal 2009 a leathnú chun imeall thiar-thuaidh Umar Racal a chur leis. Beidh an t-achar iomlán á thairiscint faoin mbabhta suas le 117,100 ciliméadar cearnach as seo.

Agus an t-achar leathnaithe á fhógairt aige, dúirt an tAire gurb é seo: “an chéad uair ó 1997 anuas go raibh oiread chomh mór de Umar Racal i gceist faoi bhabhta ceadúnaithe. Léirítear ó staidéir theicniúla le déanaí go bhfuil acmhainneacht suntasach peitriliam in Umar Racal. Is tráthúil más ea go gcuirfí deis ar fáil don tionscal taiscéalaíochta um ola agus gháis cláir nua infheistíochta san umar a thiomnú.”

Dúirt an tAire go raibh sé cinnte, de thoradh an dá bhabhta ceadúnaithe ba dheireanaí (an Torcán 2008 agus Léim – Iorrus – Tír Chonaill 2006), go gcuirfeadh gnólachtaí taiscéalaíochta suim suntasach i mBabhta Racal.

Lorgófar iarratais ar Cheadúnais Taiscéalaíochta Imeallacha thar na mbloic san mbabhta seo i gceathrú ráithe na bliana seo agus an dara ráithe den 2009 mar dháta deiridh na n-iarratas.

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