| Route Surveys | • | Pipelines | • | Cables | • | Awareness Maps |
Prior to cables and pipelines being laid, comprehensive knowledge of the physical environment and the potential impact on other users of the proposed route is required. High-resolution route surveys are undertaken to assess the geology of the seabed and the sedimentary and hydrodynamic processes acting along each proposed cable or pipeline route. In the Irish Sea, route survey data has been collected by Eircom, Bord Gáis Éireann and the Electricity Supply Board since 1986. The potential effects on other users such as the fishing industry needs careful consideration and those routes that could lead to conflict are avoided.
Cable laying in a remote region of British Columbia, Canada. (Source: Island Tug and Barge Ltd., Vancouver, Canada)
Pipelines
Ireland is dependant on imported oil and gas for 73% of its primary energy requirements (Sustainable Energy ireland, 2004). Oil is imported in tankers, and natural gas is imported via a number of underwater pipelines, known as inter-connectors, from Great Britain. Gas from Ireland’s fields situated off the southcoast of Ireland is also brought ashore via pipelines. Bord Gáis Éireann is responsible for gas delivery within the Republic of Ireland via its terrestrial gas pipeline network.
Natural gas from the Kinsale Head and Seven Heads gas fields off the Co. Cork coast has been exploited since 1976. A pipeline brings the gas ashore at Inch in Co. Cork from where it is then distributed to customers via the Bord Gáis network. Gas was recently discovered off the coast of Co. Mayo in the Corrib gas field. There are plans to bring this gas ashore via a pipeline which will then connect to the existing network. Work on an onshore section of the pipeline carrying gas to the terminal and cleaning station has proved controversial.
 |
Two underwater
pipelines transport gas from Scotland to the Republic of Ireland
(source: Bord Gáis Éireann). |
Gas Pipeline Controversy in Co. Mayo
Gas
was discovered off the coast of Co. Mayo in 1998. Planning applications
were subsequently made to bring the gas ashore in a pipeline to
a terminal and cleaning facility situated in Bellanaboy. Controversy
has raged regarding an onshore section of this pipeline, which
local residents claim represents a serious health and safety risk.
A number of safety reviews have been carried out with somewhat
conflicting results and at the time of writing in July 2006 a
mediation process between local residents and the gas companies
concluded without agreement. |
| Submarine cables have been laid on the seabed since the 1850s. The first transatlantic telecommunications cables went from Valentia, Co. Kerry to Newfoundland, Canada, a distance of over 3000km. More recently installed cables tend to be buried below the seabed but a significant proportion of cables are unburied on the sea floor and exposed to potential damage as a result of trawling and dredging. | 
A trenching machine,
for burying cables in the seabed. (Source: Nordic Offshore, Uddevalla,
Sweden) |
Cable Awareness Charts
 Detailed cable charts, available in a number of formats, are supplied by Kingfisher for all waters around Ireland and Britain. (Source: Kingfisher Information Service, UK) |
Kingfisher Information Service, which is a department within the Sea Fish Industry Authority (UK) are undertaking a cable awareness project. The aim of this project is to generate cable awareness charts and bring them to the attention of all parties involved in offshore operations (e.g., the fishing industry). The waters covered by the project include the North Sea, English Channel, Bristol Channel/Southwest Approaches, Irish Sea and West of Scotland (i.e. ICES Areas IV, VII and VI) - and hence include cables between the coasts of Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland and the UK. The charts generated by this project can be obtained free of charge in electronic, PDF or paper formats from the company. |
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Click here to view a map of cable locations around Ireland. |
DEAL : ESRI shapefiles of pipelines and other gas and oil infrastructure in UK waters can be downloaded. The gas pipeline interconnnectors to Ireland are also included.
Kingfisher Information Services: Cable information for the sea areas surrounding Ireland and Britain can be downloaded in a number of formats.
Bord Gáis Éireann Networks: Details of the various onshore and offshore pipeline projects of Bord Gáis can be found here.
Natural Gas in the Republic of Ireland: Information regarding natural gas from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
Natural Gas in Northern Ireland: Information regarding natural gas from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Arklow Windfarm: Information on the offshore Arklow Bank wind farm from Airtricity.
International Cable Protection Committee: A database of cables around the world may be accessed on this site.
Kingfisher Information Services: Cable information for the sea areas surrounding Ireland and Britain.
Bord Gais Transmission, Interconnector 2, http://www.bordgais.ie/files/corporate/library/20060505021833_ic2.pdf. [visited 26.06.2006]
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, History of the Northern Ireland Natural Gas Industry, http://www.detini.gov.uk/cgi-bin/get_builder_page?page=1272&site=5&parent=20&prevpage=42 . [visited 21.03.2006]
FTL Design, History of the Atlantic Cable and Submarine Telegraphy, http://www.atlantic-cable.com/. [visited 21.03.2005]
Island Tug and Barge Ltd, Cable Installations, http://www.islandtug.com/cable.htm. [visited 21.03.2005]
Kingfisher Information Service, http://www.kisca.org.uk. [visited 21.03.2006]
Nordic Offshore, Equipment, http://www.nordicoffshore.se/equipmentpages/equ1.html. [visited 21.03.2006]
Sustainable Energy Ireland, Energy in Ireland 1990-2004, http://www.irish-energy.ie/index.asp?locID=686&docID=659. [visited 21.03.2006]