§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the estimated cost of providing the necessary infrastructure in Northern Ireland to ensure maximum availability of natural gas in the main centres of population in Northern Ireland;
(2) what is the estimated cost of linking Northern Ireland by pipeline to the national gas grid of Great Britain.
§ Mr. NeedhamNo information is available on these costs which could only be obtained through detailed and expensive financial and technical studies.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence exists of the likelihood of natural gas reserves in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) off the coastal areas of Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. NeedhamSmall amounts of natural gas have been encountered in hydrocarbon exploration wells in County Fermanagh but work on enhancing the yields to commercial levels was not considered warranted by the prospecting companies as gas shows were so small. Elsewhere in Northern Ireland some geological features exist which control the formation and accumulation of hydrocarbons but to date exploration has not confirmed the presence of any significant traces of natural gas or oil. Exploration is continuing under three prospecting licences for areas in Co. Antrim.
10WLittle is known of the geology of the off-shore area but from what evidence is available the prospectivity of the off-shore area in the vicinity of Rathlin and East Antrim is similar to the adjacent on-shore area.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the nearest identified source of natural gas in Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. NeedhamPrevious studies of the options for the supply of natural gas from Great Britain to Northern Ireland indicated that the most convenient route would be a supply via the west coast of Scotland. The studies also concluded that such a supply would not provide the basis of a viable gas industry for the Province.