Corrib gas row: Who would want a refinery in their backyard?

IN his letter (September 23), Michael Job asks if someone would explain what the Corrib gas pipeline protest is about, and refers to these people as NIMBYS who “want to go back to a medieval existence”.

Well, these medieval NIMBYS seem to have a modern website, explaining their case and it’s pretty clear Mr Job hasn’t read it.

If he had, he would know it’s not solely a pipeline protest, but a refinery protest.

Contrary to the idyllic picture that Mr Job paints, an onshore refinery is not a welcome development and the alternative is not the dark ages but a shallow water refinery between the well-head and the coast.

Aa for NIMBYs, who exactly has a gas refinery (not just a terminal) in their backyard? These things are built offshore for good reason. The pipe from the well-head is at much higher pressure than the small pipe supplying domestic houses. The proposed pipe for Corrib would cross through populated areas carrying gas at more than 100 times normal atmospheric pressure. That is considerably more than the highest pressure pipe in the Bord Gais transmission network.

Mr Job says the risk of danger from a gas pipeline is close to zero and there has never been a disaster. Not true of high pressure pipes.

In 2005, a high pressure gas line exploded in Mexico, in a rural area. According to the Associated Press, the blasts killed a 64-year-old woman, and a 24-year-old man died from his injuries. Dozens of people were transported to hospitals and the injured ranged in ages from two to 75.

The report added that flames had spread across a 650-yard radius, destroying six houses, 19 vehicles and heavy earthmoving equipment. That’s the difference between a domestic gas line and a high pressure line.

Mr Job also says a gas refinery produces no pollution. That is patently false. And the byproducts of refining this gas (including lead, nickel, magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, arsenic, mercury and the radioactive gas, radon) will be pumped into Carrowmore Lake, which is the water source for most of the local population and Broadhaven Bay.

The bay has circular tidal patterns and is an important habitat for dolphins, seals and whales.

Mr Job also calls for people to be able to weigh up the pros and cons. Well, as he hasn’t read up on the reality on the ground I would suggest the people in Rossport are much more aware of the pros and the con-jobs of this project, which include...

* Putting a high-pressure gas pipe and refinery in an area of unstable bog, with a history of landslides, and using untested technology (which would be cheaper than an offshore refinery (the tried and tested method).

* Fianna Fáil giving away the State’s 50% stake in the gas for no apparent benefit and no requirement for the gas to be supplied to the Irish market.

In other words, Shell can sell it to us at full market prices or export it to a higher bidder.

The people of Rossport are not objecting to the gas being exploited... they are objecting to their own safety and the Irish public being exploited. I’ve been there to see for myself. I would recommend a weekend trip to Rossport for Mr Job. He might find the situation less puzzling.

Tim Hourigan

Cedar Court

Kennedy Park

Limerick