Corrib Gas Now Flowing to Power Irish Homes and Businesses

On 30th December 2015, gas started to flow from the Corrib gas field for the first time. The Corrib field is located 83km off Ireland’s north west coast in the Atlantic where the sea is over 350m deep. The natural gas is transported through a 20 inch pipeline to Bellanaboy Bridge Gas Terminal in Co. Mayo, where it is processed and transferred into the Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) network to power homes and businesses across Ireland. This is the first supply of gas from Irish waters since the Kinsale field off Cork was depleted many years ago. In the meantime, Ireland has been supplied with gas from Scotland.

RPS has been working with Shell E& P Ireland Limited (SEPIL) and its partners since 2007 to reconfigure and deliver the onshore pipeline between the offshore section and the gas terminal. The onshore pipeline element is 8.3km long; approximately 4.6km is within a segment lined tunnel. Our multidisciplinary team has provided planning, engineering, environmental and local stakeholder communications services.

Ciarán Butler, RPS Project Manager on this key infrastructure project said “This is the culmination of many years of work by SEPIL and its partners at every level. RPS played an important part in the project by dealing with many of the key challenges that arose over various stages since 2007. This could not have been achieved without an excellent working relationship with SEPIL and a huge commitment from the RPS team across disciplines and offices. RPS can be proud of our significant contribution to the delivery of this major project of strategic national importance.”

As well as producing a comprehensive environmental impact statement, securing the necessary statutory planning approvals and managing a lengthy public consultation process, RPS also undertook wayleave negotiations with local landowners. Our team was responsible for detailed design of geotechnical, civil, structural, drainage and surface water treatment elements for construction of the onshore gas pipeline and tunnelling compound. RPS also provided health and safety services as Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PSDP).

At peak annual production, the Corrib gas field is expected to produce around 260 MMscf/d of gas, which is 45,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Ronan Deasy, Managing Director of Shell E&P Ireland said: “We are pleased to have completed the development of this unique project and to bring the Corrib field on stream. I would like to pay tribute to all those who contributed to delivering this critical energy project, which will continue to bring benefits to the region and the country for years to come.”