Shell rejects residents’ proposal on gas terminal

Shell Oil has rejected a proposal by County Mayo residents that it should move its gas refinery to a coastal, rather than offshore, location.

The proposal by residents of the Erris peninsula has the potential to resolve a long-running dispute over the running of a high-pressure gas pipeline through their community.

“Moving the terminal is not an option,” the company said in a short statement.

The rejection came just hours after a call by Bishop of Killala Dr John Fleming on the Corrib gas partners to “consider carefully” the compromise proposal made by Erris residents in relation to the O900 million project.

Dr Fleming said he appreciated the courage of the seven residents in “dropping their demand that the refinery be located at sea and agreeing that it be sited onshore”.

All seven were key supporters of the Mayo ‘Shell To Sea’ campaign, which is making no comment on the development.

A coastal location would obviate the need for a dangerous onshore pipeline and would not pose the threat which the current refinery does to the public drinking water supply.

However, Shell EP Ireland submitted a planning application for its own modified onshore pipeline on the original route.

The alternative refinery site at Glinsk, proposed by the residents, was first identified last year by RPS, acting as a consultancy for the Corrib gas project. “Since then an increasing awareness of the suitability of the site has grown,” he said.

In a related development, the European Parliament’s petitions committee is to discuss Corrib gas issues on May 26th. This follows a petition lodged last year by former Shell To Sea spokesman and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology lecturer Dr Mark Garavan.

His petition argues that the project is in breach of a number of EU directives, including the habitats, Seveso and water framework directives.

Urgent Appeal