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"Shell To Sea" is a campaign based in ], ] against the construction by ] of a high pressure gas pipeline and a refinery at Bellanaboy which would process the gas from the ]. |
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"Shell To Sea" is a campaign based in ], ] against the construction by ] of a high pressure gas pipeline and a refinery at Bellanaboy which would process the gas from the ]. |
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The Corrib field was discovered in ] by Enterprise Oil, 70km off Mayo coast in over 349 metres of water, with the gas field a further 3,500 metres below sea level. |
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==Safety and Environmental Concerns== |
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===Refinery Site=== |
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The cleaning terminal, a large combustion plant, is a huge project. It would require in excess of 120 Megawatts of power to operate. The power would come from burning off the uncleaned gas condensate, containing ] of ] and ], ], ] and ]. There would be nine chimneys, four of them approximately 140 feet high. These would release carbon dioxide and methane equivalent to the ] potential of 27,000 dairy cows. |
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The waste water problem is twofold: |
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1. There is a pipe to take waste impurities to sea and a perforated perimeter ditch which would surround the drainage from the site. |
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2. The waste water storage sump is designed to withstand one hour continuous rainfall, though Crossmolina had 106 days consecutive rainfall during autumn 2004. The overflow from the sump would flow into Carrowmore Lake, which feeds the water supply of Erris. |
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This untreated waste water would contain many toxic substances, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and the ] gas ]. |
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The refinery would be constructed on unstable ]. Shell’s plan to stabilise this involves mixing in cement to form a hard surface. This process has only ever had small field trials and lab tests and creates a reaction which produces the very toxic ]. |
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===Pipeline Route=== |
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The upstream high pressure gas pipeline that connects the well to the inland refinery site runs through the area of ] beside villages and peoples' homes. The pressure inside the pipeline would be up to four times greater than that of the biggest ] pipelines and will be going through boggy land with a history of ]. The gas pipeline would also have adjoining pipelines carrying hydraulic fluid, cleansing acids and a waste pipe. There would also be electric cables. |
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This is a high pressure pipeline, 345 ] pressure for the gas, 610 bar pressure for the acids and hydraulic fluid. It is untreated, that is, odourless, without the added smell for detecting leaks. To compare, in Kinsale the gas is refined at sea, piped ashore at a much lower pressure and odorised. The biggest Bord Gais pipelines, in the so-called Transmission network, bringing the gas cross-country or overseas, run at 16 – 70 bar pressure. |
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The large pressure is necessary as the pipeline is actually pumping the gas straight out of the field, normally this process takes place completely at sea. This development is so unprecedented the relevant Irish ] and ] assumes its non-existence. That is, it applies to off-shore upstream pipelines and to on-land ones with similar levels of pressure to those used by Bord Gais. |
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===Broadhaven Bay=== |
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Broadhaven Bay is where Shell want to discharge toxic waste from the refining process. Due to the bay’s circular tidal pattern and semi-enclosed nature a large portion of this toxic waste is likely to stay within the bay rather than be washed out to sea. |
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A ] research team found that the bay was an important breeding and rearing area for ] and ]. They recorded over 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species including sightings of the relatively rare ], plus sightings of two ] species and marine mammals such as ] and a ] in Broadhaven Bay and north-west Mayo waters. |
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Broadhaven Bay is a ] under ] regulations. According to state heritage agency ] “Broadhaven Bay supports an internationally important number of ]” as well as regionally important populations of other birds. |
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The pipeline would pass through the machair sand dunes/coastal grasslands at one end of Broadhaven Bay. These constitute a habitat unique to the north west of Ireland and the north west of ]. |
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===Carrowmore Lake=== |
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Carrowmore lake, a special area of conservation and the source of drinking water for the region, is already being poisioned by aluminium run-off from the refinery site. |
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This is the source of the regional water supply, and is protected as a ] site under the ; it is also on the list of protected conservation areas. It has already been degraded due to Shell-related civil engineering, with a marked decline in fishing and the arrival of ]. It would be affected by the emissions from the proposed refinery at Ballinaboy. |
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==Current Situation== |
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On Tuesday September 26<sup>th</sup> 2006 workers for Shell were prevented from entering the site of the refinery at Bennalaboy to begin work. Around 150 local people along with some supporters from around the country blocked the entrance to the refinery site and began to recite the rosary. The workers turned back after discussions with Gardaí.<ref></ref></br> |
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One week later on the 3<sup>rd</sup> of October, Garda had been brought in from around the country and their numbers had increased to around 170. An attempt was made to block workers' access to the site by lying on the road but protesters were removed by the Gardaí with a number of people injured and one young woman brought to hospital.<ref></ref></br> |
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With the daily protests at Bellenaboy continuing, protesters occupied Shell Ireland HQ in Dublin.<ref></ref></br> |
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On the 12<sup>th</sup> of October three people were arrested at the morning protests.<ref></ref> |
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==References== |
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<references/> |
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==See Also== |
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*] |
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*] |
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*] |
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==External Links== |
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==External Links== |
