26 July 2001 Edition
Angry meeting in Cavan on gas exploration
Evergreen Resources Inc, the multinational energy company which has just begun exploratory drilling in Fermanagh and Leitrim to assess the potential profitability of gas production, got a rough ride at the meeting the company hosted on behalf of the West Cavan Community Council last Friday.
Some 500 people came to the Slieve Russell Hotel, outside Ballyconnell, to ask questions of Evergreen Resources about their exploration plans and process. There were many questions. Most people felt there were few answers.
At a previous meeting last May in Glangevlin, Evergreen Resources had refused an invitation to attend, but instead suggested that if the community formed a committee, the company would be glad to answer their spokesperson's questions.
Evergreen Resources owns exploration licenses covering 1 million acres, a wide strip of land straddling the border which stretches from Sligo to Carlingford, known as the Northwest Carboniferous Basin (NWCB), where gas is trapped in the pore space of the sandstone, at least 4,000 feet below the surface.
People expressed their worries about how exploration will affect the air, the water table, the land and they asked about the effcects of gas exploration on the beauty of the area.
Several politicians at the meeting came to Evergreen's defence. They declared their approval for gas exploration and for Evergreen Resources Inc. The County Manager and his staff won't allow the company to do damage, people were told.
But those days of blindly trusting elected representatives have long gone.
Many young people spoke articulately about their fears. They asked what were the chemicals which Evergreen would be using in the process? Gas itself is toxic. Would the exploration release metals which are dangerous to health, like mercury, lead, Radon?
Denis Carlton, who gave the presentation for Evergreen Resources, said that the process would be air drilling, it would be dry, and there would be no fluids to get rid of.'' However, the Evergreen presentation mentioned that should a drilling fluid be required, they will use ``an environmentally friendly fluid''.
The presentation says they will use ``a fracturing foam, likely to be nitrogen, which contains water and small amounts of guar gel (30lbs per 1,000 gallons) and a surfactant (soap: 2-3 gals per 1,000 gallons) and 70% nitrogen under pressure. This shaving foam like mixture will carry sand deep into the reservoir.''
It goes on: ``Drilling fluids are transported to a registered lagoon for evaporation, and drill dust chippings will be collected for dry disposal in a conventional regulated landfill site.'' So much for Denis Carlton's assurance that the process is dry and uses no fluids.
People expressed their anger that the company was treating their concerns with utter disregard. But the temperature in the meeting got truly out of hand when Evergreen representatives were challenged on their oft repeated statement that they had an ``unblemished safety record''. One speaker pointed out that the company had indeed been ordered by a court to pay compensation. Denis Carlton answered, with marked aplomb, that ``the compensation had been paid for the good of the community'', and then angrily resumed his seat in the audience.
The party piece of glossy presentation was over. Whatever about the people's unanswered questions, the company is ready to drill.
Some 500 people came to the Slieve Russell Hotel, outside Ballyconnell, to ask questions of Evergreen Resources about their exploration plans and process. There were many questions. Most people felt there were few answers.
At a previous meeting last May in Glangevlin, Evergreen Resources had refused an invitation to attend, but instead suggested that if the community formed a committee, the company would be glad to answer their spokesperson's questions.
Evergreen Resources owns exploration licenses covering 1 million acres, a wide strip of land straddling the border which stretches from Sligo to Carlingford, known as the Northwest Carboniferous Basin (NWCB), where gas is trapped in the pore space of the sandstone, at least 4,000 feet below the surface.
People expressed their worries about how exploration will affect the air, the water table, the land and they asked about the effcects of gas exploration on the beauty of the area.
Several politicians at the meeting came to Evergreen's defence. They declared their approval for gas exploration and for Evergreen Resources Inc. The County Manager and his staff won't allow the company to do damage, people were told.
But those days of blindly trusting elected representatives have long gone.
Many young people spoke articulately about their fears. They asked what were the chemicals which Evergreen would be using in the process? Gas itself is toxic. Would the exploration release metals which are dangerous to health, like mercury, lead, Radon?
Denis Carlton, who gave the presentation for Evergreen Resources, said that the process would be air drilling, it would be dry, and there would be no fluids to get rid of.'' However, the Evergreen presentation mentioned that should a drilling fluid be required, they will use ``an environmentally friendly fluid''.
The presentation says they will use ``a fracturing foam, likely to be nitrogen, which contains water and small amounts of guar gel (30lbs per 1,000 gallons) and a surfactant (soap: 2-3 gals per 1,000 gallons) and 70% nitrogen under pressure. This shaving foam like mixture will carry sand deep into the reservoir.''
It goes on: ``Drilling fluids are transported to a registered lagoon for evaporation, and drill dust chippings will be collected for dry disposal in a conventional regulated landfill site.'' So much for Denis Carlton's assurance that the process is dry and uses no fluids.
People expressed their anger that the company was treating their concerns with utter disregard. But the temperature in the meeting got truly out of hand when Evergreen representatives were challenged on their oft repeated statement that they had an ``unblemished safety record''. One speaker pointed out that the company had indeed been ordered by a court to pay compensation. Denis Carlton answered, with marked aplomb, that ``the compensation had been paid for the good of the community'', and then angrily resumed his seat in the audience.
The party piece of glossy presentation was over. Whatever about the people's unanswered questions, the company is ready to drill.