Statutory Instrument

S.I. No 685 of 2003

Continental Shelf (Protection of Installations) (Seven Heads Gas Field Development) Order 2003

Published by the Stationery Office

Dublin

S.I. No. 685 of 2003

Continental Shelf (Protection of Installations) (Seven Heads Gas Field Development) Order 2003

I, Dermot Ahern, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 6 (1) (inserted by section 5(3) of No. 35 of 1995 )) of No. 14 of 1968 ), and the Petroleum and Offshore Exploration (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1997 ( S.I. No. 429 of 1997 ) (as adapted by the Marine and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002 ( S.I. No. 307 of 2002 )), hereby, for the purpose of protecting installations in parts of the area standing designated by the Continental Shelf (Designated Areas) Order 1993 ( S.I. No. 92 of 1993 ), order as follows:

1.       This Order may be cited as the Continental Shelf (Protection of Installations) (Seven Heads Gas Field) Order 2003.

2.       Subject to Article 3 of this Order, ships are prohibited from entering the areas specified in the Schedule to this Order without the consent of the Minister.

3.       Article 2 of this Order does not apply in relation to -

(a)      ships providing any services requested by the lessee under the Petroleum Lease dated 13 November 2003 and made between the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources of the first part, the Minister for Finance of the second part and Ramco Seven Heads Ltd. and its co-venturers of the third part,

(b)      ships in distress or carrying out movements with a view to saving or attempting to save life or property or entering the area specified in the Schedule to this Order owing to stress of weather, or

(c)      ships belonging to, or employed in the service of, the State and used for defence or fishery protection purposes.

SCHEDULE

1        Those parts of the area standing designated by the Continental Shelf (Designated Areas) Order 1993 ( S.I. No. 92 of 1993 ) that are enclosed by circles of 500 metre radius from each of the 6 points which have the following co ordinates:

2.       The above co-ordinates of latitude and longitude are the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude in European Datum 1950 (ED 50).

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Statutory Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

This Order establishes a safety zone around subsea wellheads and a subsea production manifold in the Seven Heads Gas Field and prohibits ships from entering the zone except with the consent of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources or in the circumstances provided for in Article 3 of the Order.