Shannon LNG
Encyclopedia
Shannon LNG is a proposed Liquefied natural gas
receiving terminal on the Shannon Estuary
near Ballylongford
and Tarbert
in County Kerry
to be built and operated by Shannon LNG Ltd, a company owned 50/50 by Hess LNG a subsidiary of the US
multinational
Hess Corporation
and US hydrocarbons trading and transportation company Poten & Partners Inc.
who have been courting a development for the site for many years owing to its sheltered location. In 2002, the natural gas
Pipeline to The West was completed, crossing the Shannon 25 km from the site of the proposed terminal.
The project, the first LNG terminal in Ireland
, is expected to cost €500 million. It will contain four insulated storage tanks of 200,000 cubic metres capacity and a regassification facility linked to the gas transmission system.
and not Kerry County Council
was the Planning Authority. The Kilcolgan Residents' Association and the Friends of the Irish Environment have lodged application for a judicial review of An Bord Pleanála
's decision to approve the project on safety and environmental grounds.
In Ireland, development consent is divided among different statutory bodies. In order to obtain full development consent Shannon LNG requires an Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Licence (IPPC) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a Foreshore Licence from the Department of the Environment for the construction of the marine aspects of the project.
In January 2010, the European Commission, in an interim finding, declared that the rezoning of the land for the proposed LNG terminal from 'Rural General' and 'Secondary Special Amenity' should have been subjected to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as per the EU SEA Directive. The EU Parliament Petitions Committee stated:
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
receiving terminal on the Shannon Estuary
Shannon Estuary
The Shannon Estuary is a large estuary where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The estuary has Limerick at its head and its seaward limits are marked by Loop Head to the north and Kerry Head to the south...
near Ballylongford
Ballylongford
Ballylongford is a village near Listowel in north County Kerry, Ireland.-Geography:The village is situated at the top of a creek of Ballylongford Bay on the tidal estuary of the River Shannon, close to Carrigafoyle Island and on the coast road between Tarbert and the seaside town of...
and Tarbert
Tarbert, County Kerry
Tarbert is a town in the north of County Kerry, with woodland to the south and the Shannon estuary to the north. It lies on the N69 coast road that runs along the estuary from Limerick before turning inland at Tarbert towards Listowel, and has two schools Tarbert Primary and Tarbert...
in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
to be built and operated by Shannon LNG Ltd, a company owned 50/50 by Hess LNG a subsidiary of the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
multinational
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
Hess Corporation
Hess Corporation
The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
and US hydrocarbons trading and transportation company Poten & Partners Inc.
Project
The site was originally owned by Shannon DevelopmentShannon Development
Shannon Development is an important regional development body for the Shannon Region of Ireland and encompases counties Clare, Limerick, and parts of Kerry, Offaly and Tipperary....
who have been courting a development for the site for many years owing to its sheltered location. In 2002, the natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
Pipeline to The West was completed, crossing the Shannon 25 km from the site of the proposed terminal.
The project, the first LNG terminal in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, is expected to cost €500 million. It will contain four insulated storage tanks of 200,000 cubic metres capacity and a regassification facility linked to the gas transmission system.
Planning and safety
As the project qualifies as strategic infrastructure under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 and, consequently An Bord PleanálaAn Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála is an independent statutory administrative tribunal that decides on appeals from planning decisions made by local authorities in the Republic of Ireland. As of 2007 The Planning Board directly decides major strategic infrastructural projects under the provisions of the Planning...
and not Kerry County Council
Kerry County Council
Kerry County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Kerry in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
was the Planning Authority. The Kilcolgan Residents' Association and the Friends of the Irish Environment have lodged application for a judicial review of An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála is an independent statutory administrative tribunal that decides on appeals from planning decisions made by local authorities in the Republic of Ireland. As of 2007 The Planning Board directly decides major strategic infrastructural projects under the provisions of the Planning...
's decision to approve the project on safety and environmental grounds.
In Ireland, development consent is divided among different statutory bodies. In order to obtain full development consent Shannon LNG requires an Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Licence (IPPC) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a Foreshore Licence from the Department of the Environment for the construction of the marine aspects of the project.
In January 2010, the European Commission, in an interim finding, declared that the rezoning of the land for the proposed LNG terminal from 'Rural General' and 'Secondary Special Amenity' should have been subjected to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as per the EU SEA Directive. The EU Parliament Petitions Committee stated:
“The Commission is also concerned by the discrepancy in the approach of the Irish authorities in dealing with the development under fast track legislation for 'strategic projects' whilst not requiring an SEA. [...] On the basis of the further information provided, the Commission has decided to raise the above-mentioned issues with the Irish authorities.”