Does anyone, anywhere, know how Shell plans to get the gas to the refinery?

mayo | environment | other press Wednesday December 12, 2007 20:04 by Larry

As these articles show, they have no clear plan for a pipeline route, and to say they lack community consent would be something of an understatement, to put it mildly.

Protesters in front of Shell truck at Bellanaboy Bridge

In the first piece (from this week's Mayo News) we hear that Shell contractors have announced yet more possible corridors for the pipeline and the company wants feedback from the public (phone 097 20720 if you're bored at work). This is the consulting company which recently sent its workers out to drill holes in a Special Area of Conservation and didn't think they needed maps. When local people brought their own maps- the consultants called the police. Would you trust them to choose a route for a high pressure pipeline near your house? Even if it was pumping Guinness instead of raw gas from the bottom of the Atlantic?

In the second piece a Shell to Sea activist demolishes the article by a Belmullet priest which was published in the Mayo News and mysteriously re-printed in the Irish Times a few days later (without credit the MN). The last article is a reminder of what life will be like in Erris if Shell's plans aren't stopped.

New twists in Corrib route

Mayo News Tuesday, 11 December 2007
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&tas...id=38
Áine Ryan

[EXCERPT] THE FINAL route was to be announced two months ago. Furthermore, a full planning application was to be made during November. Instead, this week Shell consultants, RPS have added two new possible variations (Corridors A1 and C1) to the three corridors (A, B and C) announced in late September last. They now say it will be early in the New Year before a conclusion to the selection process. Shell to Sea say they are faced with an impossible task: ‘a final route, acceptable to the community, will never be found’.

Shell to Sea responds

Mayo News, Tuesday, 11 December 2007
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&tas...id=38

[EXCERPT]Overall, the bishops and priests have shown a decided preference for the ‘comfort zone’ in regard to political, commercial and social spheres of influence. While this is well recognised as a long-standing part of Church culture, it is not acceptable, especially for Fr Hegarty who once made a significant stand on a controversial clerical issue. Particularly, it is not acceptable that he should pronounce judgement on the Shell to Sea campaign about which he clearly has only superficial knowledge – of a decidedly partisan slant.

Nigeria: MOSOP Accuses Shell of Sabotage

Daily Champion (Lagos) http://allafrica.com/stories/200712120576.html
12 December 2007

[EXCERPT] Shell has not extracted oil from Ogoni for over 14 years but the corruption and violence which are associated with their pipelines running across Ogoni is continuing," Kpalap lamented.
He pointed out that "Despite our protests, which have already gone as far as the Netherlands, Shell has taken no action. Even when these fires were burning Shell continued to pump oil on damaged pipelines, all in the name of profit."