Oil And Gas Exploration

Headline!

On the 20th December 2007, following sustained campaigning against the prospect of oil and gas drilling in Cardigan Bay, SOS released the following press release ….

Press Release 20/12/2007 We Saved Our Sea, for now! 

‘SOS are in a cautiously optimistic mood following the news that Cardigan Bay is unlikely to see any exploration for oil and gas in the near future. Today (Thursday 20th December) the newly formed Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform released a draft environmental report that said not enough was known about the dolphins in the bay to grant licences. It states 'On account of uncertainties about the size, distribution and location of the resident population of bottlenose dolphins within the Cardigan Bay Natura 2000 site, this assessment does not presently support the granting of consent...This conclusion may be revisited once new data becomes available.'’

Leila Keirsch, SOS spokesperson at the time, commented, "Naturally we are delighted that all our hard work appears to have paid off. However, this is still a draft assessment and it is possible they could overturn this decision. We are disappointed that rather than accept that oil and gas exploration causes environmental damage and contributes to climate change, they have halted plans for now due to lack of information. We won't celebrate until we have a firm NO to drilling, not just now but into the future." She concluded "This is a small victory for SOS but it could not have been achieved without the help of our MP Mark Williams, Mick Green from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Friends of Cardigan Bay and all those locally who have given their generous support."

The government announcement was made following completion of an environmental evaluation (the ‘Appropriate Assessment’ – see below). As it stands blocks of sea area falling in the Cardigan Bay SAC or adjacent to it will not be licensed for oil and gas exploration in the immediate future. But, as Leila emphasised, this is not a categorical or indefinite restriction, and continued vigilance is needed both to protect designated conservation areas, and Cardigan Bay more generally.

Background to the campaign opposing oil and gas exploration in Cardigan Bay is given below.

The Pressure

With high oil prices, predictions that available sources are now reducing fast (‘peak oil’) and concerns for energy self-sufficiency, there is enormous pressure to exploit every source of oil and gas in the UK there is. In the last decade the UK government has sought increasingly to allow oil and gas exploration and development in areas that were previously sacrosanct. This push has created greater and greater environmental threats, not only ‘offshore’, but in local coastal waters.  

The government has undertaken a series of ‘licensing rounds’ in which blocks of sea area are offered for licensed exploration by companies. These have been occurring annually – this year was the ‘25th licensing round’. Before offering ‘blocks’ for licensing for oil and gas development, under European legislation, the UK government is required to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). SEA 6, covering the Irish Sea, included Cardigan Bay.  It’s recommendation was that there was no reason not to grant licenses for oil and gas exploration and development anywhere in Cardigan Bay!

However, there are some constraints. For European conservation areas, the Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), if there is a possible risk to ‘favourable conservation status’ of the site by activity, the Government must carry out a further, ‘Appropriate Assessment’ (AA). For the 24th licensing round in 2007, three unnamed companies did apply for licenses in blocks both within the Cardigan Bay SAC and adjacent to it.

SOS and other organisations campaigned vigorously prior to the Appropriate Assessment and while it was being carried out. We pressed for no oil and gas exploration or drilling to occur in or adjacent to the SAC. Efforts to stop any drilling included marches, demonstratations, collecting signatures and an on-line petition, singing carols and  sending Christmas cards from the dolphins to the Minister for Energy!

In December, 2007, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR – now, the Department for Energy and Climate Change, DECC) published the results of the draft Appropriate Assessment for the Cardigan Bay SAC blocks for which licenses has been applied. It concluded that licensing should not occur, because of a current lack of knowledge of the behaviour, distribution and status of the bottlenose dolphin population which occupies the SAC.

While SOS were very pleased about this outcome, they submitted a detailed response to the Appropriate Assessment report consultation. SOS argued that this report went nowhere near far enough in stating the need for prevention of oil and gas activity. SOS pointed out that there was extensive evidence of potential harm to dolphins and seals (designated SAC protected species), through seismic activity, exploratory drilling, operation of rigs, pipe-laying and decommissioning. They made clear that the potential long-term consequences of such activity on population viability are simply not known. Further, SOS dismissed claims that so-called ‘mitigation measures’ could protect species in the SACs, as those recommended have no scientific basis, no evidence of effectiveness and, in any event, are systematically flouted in practice. SOS pointed out that under the EU Habitats Directive, it is a requirement, following case law precedent (eg the ‘Waddenzee case’), that it is demonstrated beyond reasonable scientific doubt that there would not be any adverse effect on conservation status of designated species or habitats. For each of the reasons above, SOS made clear that this could not be shown. In consequence, oil and gas exploration and development must be prohibited in relation to the Cardigan Bay SAC.

We are not alone

The Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is designated a European, ‘Natura 2000’, site for a number of reasons. These include certain habitats and particular species including bottlenose dolphins, grey seals, and river and sea lampreys. The only other resident population of bottlenose dolphins, in the Moray Firth, Scotland, also has SAC protection. But there too there has been pressure to allow licensing for oil and gas right in the SAC. As of early 2009 licensing has been withheld temporarily, not least because of extensive campaigning against drilling in the area. But this is probably even more vulnerable to being recinded than in Cardigan Bay. Further, there is a second SAC in Cardigan Bay, the Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau SAC, which is also frequented by dolphins, yet bizarrely, the Government, recently included blocks within this SAC for potential licensing in the most recent, 25th licensing round. There was no automatic presumption of restriction, and a governmental attitude of making the area potentially available. Fortunately, for this round there were no company applications for licenses. The threat remains.

Continued vigilance and immediate response to any suggesting of allowing licenses is required. Detailed below are some of the steps in the Cardigan Bay campaign that have taken place over the last three years. These activities will be restarted and increased at a moments notice if there is threat of licensing of oil and gas activity in the Bay.

Quotes

Professor George Monbiot
Investigative author, and column writer for the Guardian newspaper:
‘How can the Government claim to be dealing with climate change while permitting new oil and gas exploration around our coasts? The drilling in Cardigan Bay goes against all its commitments to the environment, both locally and globally. As a new resident of West Wales, I am hereby opposed to this counter-productive development.’

John Davies
Liberal Democrat Candidate for Welsh Assembly Elections:
‘I support the SOS campaign against the plans to drill for oil and gas in Cardigan Bay one hundred percent’.

Mark Williams
MP for Ceredigion:
‘I fully support the SOS campaign against the Department of Trade and Industry plans to allow drilling for oil and gas in the Special areas of Conservation in Cardigan Bay.’

Campaign History

Some events from the SOS campaign against oil and gas drilling in Cardigan Bay are reported below. Thanks are due for permission to reproduce extracts from articles and photographs as shown.

The 'Action Day' in New Quay on Easter Saturday (2007) was very successful. The holiday makers and local people were almost without exception extremely interested in our campaign and appalled at the Department of Trade and Industry for even considering the siting of drilling rigs in the Special areas of Conservation in Cardigan Bay. We received many verbal messages of encouragement to continue with the campaign, and over 500 signatures were added to the hand written petition during day, in addition a further 23 petition forms were added to the on line total over the next two days. Over 100 of the campaign badges were sold in aid of campaign funds to be used in the continuation of our fight to make the DTI reverse their decision.

A series of ‘Action Days’ were held throughout 2007, including Llangranog, New Quay, Aberaeron and Aberystwyth.
  
The extracts below, are from an article by Dylan Davies, which appeared in the Pembrokeshire County Echo on 16th March 2007:
   
A group of 17 youngsters from all over Pembrokeshire said they were 'dismayed' after traveling to London last week to raise concerns over proposed oil drilling in Cardigan Bay. The delegation of young people met with the Energy Minister, Lord Truscott, in London to question him on the urgent need to find solutions to climate change and to raise their concerns about proposed oil and gas drilling in Cardigan Bay, which they say they were told will be decided in the next two months. The group was accompanied by local MP Stephen Crabb who had requested the meeting with the minister following his own meeting with the young people at Pembrokeshire College in December where he had been grilled by them on his views about energy and environmental policy. Following the meeting Mr Crabb said ' Although I have not opposed the Cardigan Bay exploration I do think that the environmental issues and questions raised today need some real answers from the government before any permission is given for drilling. The young people put forward some very strong arguments which have certainly given me cause to think long and hard about the matter.

Local man joins march against oil drilling,   by Dylan Davies
Article Copyright Tindle Newspapers Ltd 23 February 2007

A Goodwick man who objects to proposals to drill for oil in Cardigan Bay traveled to Aberystwyth last week to join 100 other protesters and make their feelings known.

Protest marchers in Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth on Thursday 22nd February2007 included Goodwick's Buzz Knapp-Fisher with his sign reading 'Climate change - no thanks'. The demonstration was organised by the SOS Save Our Sea campaign to protest against plans over proposed gas and oil exploration and production in special areas of conservation in Cardigan Bay and off Strumble Head. Photo: Arwyn Parry Jones ( Photograph copyright © 2007 Tindle Newspapers Ltd).
Protesters walked through the Ceredigion town last week carrying placards reading "Oil and dolphin don't mix" and "Stop oil rigs now" in a demonstration organised by the SOS Save Our Sea campaign. A founding member of the group, Leila Kiersch, prospective regional Assembly candidate for the Green Party, said the strength of the protest showed ever-growing opposition to the Department of Trade and Industry's offer of licences covering seismic-testing and drilling. "They are hoping we will just fade away. We will not. We have only started. We are getting growing support from people all along the coast and from people in the tourism industry." One of the demonstration's speakers, Mick Green from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), said that the gas/oil proposal had been defeated once 10 years ago and pressure on the Lord Truscott at the DTI, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET. In December the Government announced that plans to award drilling licences had been postponed due to environmental objections.

Petition presented to 10 Downing Street

Edwina Lloyd, Leila Kiersch and Liberal Democrat
M.P. Mark Williams presenting petition at No. 10 Downing Street

A 2400 signature petition was presented to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday 6th Feb by representatives of SOS, Ceredigion Green Party and Ceredigion MP Mark Williams (Lib Dem). The petition was presented to emphasise to the government that the people of mid and west Wales will not take the possible granting of licences to explore for gas off the New quay coast lying down. SOS have been working with a cross party coalition and the support of larger NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society to raise public awareness of DTI plans which could lead to drilling rigs in a special area of conservation. The SAC is located off the coast of New Quay and is designated for a large residential bottlenose dolphin population, one of only 2 around the British coastline.
Leila Kiersch, SOS spokesperson said, 'We have been pleased at the fantastic support we have received. People from every section of society in mid Wales are concerned - they understand this will impact on the beautiful coastline, the rare wildlife, and the eco-tourism industry. Any exploration work can only be bad news for the area - the activity itself could be damaging and why allow it if they won't give permission to drill if reserves are found?'

Mark Williams (Ceredigion, Liberal Democrat) :
’I wish to present a petition with the signatures of more than 2,000 individuals from my constituency and across west Wales. The petition, organised by the Save Our Seas group in Ceredigion, urges the Government not to grant licences for oil and gas exploration or drilling in the Irish sea, and specifically in that part of Cardigan bay designated a special area of conservation under the EU habitats directive, on the ground of its unique marine ecosystem, especially its dolphin population, and in recognition of the strides made in the New Quay and south Ceredigion communities in developing a sustainable eco-tourist trade, which could be jeopardised.’

The petition states:
The Humble Petition of the people of Ceredigion and Save our Seas campaigners sheweth That the selling of licences for oil and gas drilling in Cardigan bay special area of conservation in the 24th round of offshore oil and gas licensing could cause damage to the resident dolphin population, as well as to the grey seals and harbour porpoises and other rare forms of wildlife, and would impact on the tourist industry based in west Wales and have a visual impact on an area of scenic beauty. Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urge the Government to prevent the selling of licences for oil and gas drilling in Cardigan bay special area of conservation in the 24th round of offshore oil and gas licensing.

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• Save Our Sea (S.O.S.), Achubwch Ein Môr, Cardigan Bay, Wales, Cymru, U.K. • Tel: 01239 810992. • Tel. 01970 820130 •
• email: info@savecardiganbay.org.uk •