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Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment 6
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
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The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) is carrying out the sixth Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment (IOSEA6), which involves a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) of the Plan for issue of Petroleum Exploration and Production Authorisations in Irish Offshore Waters for the period to 2030.
This Plan will set out the proposed approach to the issuing of petroleum authorisations, and the consideration of the possible offshore exploration activities that could take place under such authorisations, following the decision to end the issuing of licences for new exploration and extraction, and the subsequent placing of this commitment on a statutory footing on commencement of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 on 7 September 2021.
The Plan will provide an operational baseline which can be supplied to exploration companies who hold existing authorisations and are working offshore, against which they can conduct their work and ensure the protection of the marine environment. This will include descriptions of the types of offshore activity that may take place over the duration of the Plan, such as 2D seismic acquisition, 3D seismic acquisition, and drilling of wells.
The Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessments (IOSEA) are carried out to assess potential impacts associated with activities conducted under petroleum authorisations within Irish offshore waters. This involves public consultation with submissions and observations received considered as part of its preparation.
The Department has to date undertaken five IOSEAs in respect of offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction, typically in advance of awarding licences under each licencing round, with the most recent having taken place in 2015. The results of these previous assessments have also been referenced as part of the project level Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessments undertaken for activity applications under petroleum authorisations. These activities include, for example, applications for seismic surveys or drilling of wells.
IOSEA6 will also include a review of previous IOSEA documents (IOSEA5), including the mitigation and enhancement measures, to ensure up-to-date recommendations for mitigation measures are included in the final Plan.
As IOSEA6 progresses, this page will be updated and the final Plan and SEA/AA documents will be available to download. Reports from IOSEA5 are available here, with reports relating to IOSEA1-4 available from the Department on request. In that regard, please contact gspd@decc.gov.ie
In accordance with Article 6(3) of the EU Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC) as transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 as amended, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has undertaken Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening to assess if the draft outline of the Plan, individually or in combination with other plans or projects is likely to have a significant effect on a European Site(s).
Having carefully considered the information, reasoning and conclusion presented in the “Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment 6: Screening for Appropriate Assessment” prepared by environmental consultants, Intertek, the Department has determined that, pursuant to Regulation 42 of S.I. No. 477/2011, as amended, and for the purposes of Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive, that it could not be excluded, on the basis of objective scientific information following screening , that the plan, individually, or in combination with other plans and projects would have likely significant effects on a European site and therefore an Appropriate Assessment is required. As part of the next stage of this process, a Natura Impact Statement has been prepared and we are currently seeking views on the document alongside the plan in our consultation on IOSEA6.
Alongside the screening for Appropriate Assessment, a screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was undertaken and the Department determined that, as the Plan falls within the remit of the SEA Directive, that a mandatory SEA is required. The next stage in the SEA process is Scoping for the Environment Report, which involves determining the scope, level of detail and range of environmental issues to be covered by the SEA and work is currently underway on this next stage of the assessment. As part of the next stage of this process, an Environmental Report has now been prepared and we are currently seeking views on the document alongside the plan in our consultation on IOSEA6.
