§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to ensure that the Welsh marine environment is not damaged by spills from drilling rigs.
§ Mr. EggarIt is our general and established policy, before offering blocks for licence in any part of the United Kingdom continental shelf, to consult relevant statutory and non-statutory bodies and to attach licence conditions agreed with such bodies which reflect each block's sensitivities. Environmental conditions are agreed principally with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of the Environment, and fishing industry representatives are also consulted. Conditions may include, for example, bans on drilling in specified areas, seasonal restrictions on exploration activities, requirements to carry out environmental and seabed surveys, bans on the use of oil-based drilling muds, and controls or bans on discharges from drilling rigs.
In the block off the north Wales coast where drilling is currently in progress, environmental and local seabed surveys were carried out before drilling started. Water-based muds are being used, and cuttings may be discharged to the sea since tidal conditions in the area ensure their rapid dispersal. No other rig discharges are permitted; nor are any fuel transfers while the rig is on site.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to halt all further exploratory drilling for hydrocarbons off the Welsh coast until the promised energy review takes place.
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§ Mr. EggarThe purpose of exploration drilling is to search for and identify deposits of hydrocarbons. Oil and gas production continues to make a significant contribution to the United Kingdom economy because new reserves have been identified to replenish supplies as early reserves have become depleted. The longer we can sustain economic indigenous oil and gas production, the better for the United Kingdom economy.
Additional approvals are required before a deposit identified from exploration drilling and found on further appraisal to be of commercial value can be developed for production. A find from current drilling off the Welsh coast would be unlikely to come into production before the end of the century. There is therefore no case for halting exploration drilling.