UK firm seeks fracking licence

An English-based energy firm yesterday confirmed that it has lodged an application with the Irish Government to carry out fracking exploration in west Clare.

Enegi yesterday confirmed the lodging of the application with the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources after a study it commissioned confirmed a potential resource of 3.86 trillion cubic feet of shale gas.

The study carried out on behalf of Enegi by Fugro Robertson Ltd states that the recoverable resource estimates for the area to be between 1.49tn cubic feet and 3.86tn cubic feet of shale gas.

The high-grade area is south of Doonbeg and north of Kilrush in west Clare. Yesterday, Enegi CEO, Alan Minty, said: “We believe the acreage covered by the Clare Basin Option is highly prospective.

“With this in mind and with the need to carry out further exploration work over the area, we have applied to the Petroleum Affairs Division (PAD) to convert our option into an exploration licence which will allow us to carry out this work and to further prove up the potential that we believe this acreage holds.

“We look forward to hearing from the PAD on our application and providing further updates in due course.”

Extraction of the shale gas will involve the controversial technique of fracking and opposition to it has already been voiced in Clare. Enegi secured the option in Feb 2011.

A company statement yesterday stated: “Since the award of the option, Enegi has carried out an extensive work programme to procure and evaluate existing technical data and obtain and analyse new geological data to develop a provisional assessment of the potential of the licence.

“The results of that work programme indicate that, given the maturity, thickness and buried depth of the shale, the whole area under the option remains prospective for shale gas.”

However, Róisín Ní Gháirbhith of Clare Fracking Concerned said yesterday: “There is no way that fracking can take place in west Clare as it would destroy its beauty, tourism and agriculture.”

Ms Ní Gháirbhith said her group will make submissions to the department on the Enegi plan.

Prof of Geology at UCD Pat Shannon said yesterday: “It is premature to be talking about reserves before any exploration takes place.

He said: “I am agnostic about fracking. I am not utterly opposed to it or utterly in favour of it. It depends on where it is happening.”

The department has already stated that the use of hydraulic fracturing will not be authorised until there has been time to consider the second stage of the EPA research on its implications.