Time to tap into our energy supplies

HOPES are again being raised of a major gas find in a huge area in the Atlantic, about 150km off the west and south coasts.

The Porcupine Basin and other areas in the near Atlantic contains over scores of undrilled oil and gas prospects and, looking into the future, hopes are that it is from these areas our future energy supplies will come.

An announcement by Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Eamon Ryan that exploration licences are again being offered in the basin has prompted renewed interest in the whole area of undersea exploration.