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A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
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offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
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Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

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Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
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Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link Former Mermaids Chief Vows to Defy Puberty Blocker Ban at New Trans Clinic Sat Dec 21, 2024 15:00 | Will Jones
A former Chief Executive of the charity Mermaids, Susie Green, has vowed to defy the nationwide ban on puberty blockers at her new trans clinic by importing the drugs via the EU.
The post Former Mermaids Chief Vows to Defy Puberty Blocker Ban at New Trans Clinic appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Majority of Brits Receive More in Benefits Than They Pay in Taxes Sat Dec 21, 2024 13:00 | Will Jones
More than half of people in the U.K. receive more in benefits than they contribute in taxes, official figures show ? and it's only going to get worse. No wonder we can't afford anything.
The post Majority of Brits Receive More in Benefits Than They Pay in Taxes appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link In Latest Threat to German Democracy, Dangerous Fascist Elon Musk Tweets Six Words About Alternative... Sat Dec 21, 2024 11:00 | Eugyppius
German democracy, which is somehow shaken to its foundations whenever?anybody holds a TV debate with the wrong person, is once again on life support after Elon Musk tweeted support for AfD, says Eugyppius.
The post In Latest Threat to German Democracy, Dangerous Fascist Elon Musk Tweets Six Words About Alternative f?r Deutschland appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Minutes of Meetings Where Chris Whitty Overruled Government Vaccine Advisers to Force Through Covid ... Sat Dec 21, 2024 09:00 | Will Jones
Minutes of key meetings held in September 2021 in which Chris Whitty and the UK CMOs overruled the Government's vaccine advisers to push through Covid vaccination of children have been released ? and they're damning.
The post Minutes of Meetings Where Chris Whitty Overruled Government Vaccine Advisers to Force Through Covid Vaccination of Children Released appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link To Manifest a Crisis Sat Dec 21, 2024 07:00 | James Alexander
The word of the year is "Manifest", says the Cambridge Dictionary. What does it mean? Here's an example, says Prof James Alexander: public health busybodies were 'manifesting' when they confected the Covid 'pandemic'.
The post To Manifest a Crisis appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

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Corrib Gas Project - Photo-Essay Overview - September 2013

category mayo | environment | photo-essay author Saturday August 31, 2013 18:03author by Shelver Report this post to the editors

   

backwardSruth Mahda  Chonn Estuary - Special Area of Conservationforward
Sruth Mahda Chonn Estuary - Special Area of Conservation

backwardSruth Mahda  Chonn Estuary - Special Area of ConservationOverview 1Overview 2 - The Corrib Project, with the L1202 road highlighted in redGlengad from Barr na Coilleadhforward
Click on thumbnail image(s) to view full resolution

Project Overview
On a physical level the Corrib project comprises of a gas refinery 8km inland at Ballinaboy, an offshore section of pipeline 80km long from the beach at Glengad to the Corrib field 80km to the west under the Atlantic, and the 8km of onshore pipeline between the two, which is currently under construction.
The infrastructure of the project is spread over this area, while the secondary support infrastructure of roads and quarries etc extends further out.

Two of the images are from a Shell planning application, with some more detail of the project overlaid, to give context to the photographs that follow.

Glengad

The compound at Glengad comprises of firstly the same compound as they used for the offshore pipeline pull-in in 2008/2009. This part is by the sea to the left of the images. Shell have bought this field. Here the offshore pipeline to the Corrib field ends, waiting to be connected by the onshore section.
In here at the moment Shell are building an experimental land fall valve, whose function is to isolate the offshore section of the pipeline from the onshore section should the pressure in the pipeline rise uncontrollably. In this way they say they plan to limit the onshore section to a maximum pressure of 100bar. This is still much higher that standard gas transmission pipelines and will be bearing raw gas straight from the wellheads. This added complexity to the pipeline at Glengad means there are more elements that may fail there in comparison with other sections of the pipeline.

Moving to the right are some fields that Shell have successfully executed Compulsory Acquisition Orders over, using the new Strategic Infrastructure Act. This piece of legislation allows private companies apply to the state for the use of private lands for private projects with or without the consent of the landowner. This is the beginning of how Shell had the Rossport Five committed to jail in 2005.

On the extreme right is a square shaped compound. This is the tunneling reception pit, where Shell hope to reach with a tunnel from Aughoose in 2015. The tunnel would then house 5km of the 8km onshore pipeline.

L1202 - Shell's private highway
The L1202 was a small local road running along Broadhaven bay from Barr na Tra to Inver, Glengad and curving around to keep by the waters edge along Sruwaddacon Estuary through Aughoose to after which it meets the main North coast road.

Since 2008 - on the section between Glengad and where it ends at the North coast road - any parts that can be have been widened, replacing it with highway more akin to a national primary route than a local scenic road. In the process hedgerows and habitats have been destroyed to be replaced with concrete footpaths, picket fences and street lighting, all in the name of community development, funded by Shell and administered by Mayo County Council.

The road is essential to the ongoing construction at Glengad and Aughoose. In places at Glengad where it was not possible to widen the road, a Shell lorry and normal car still cannot pass. In Shell's traffic management plan they said they would rely on "driver courtesy" for convoys of vehicles to get by. When that "courtesy" has not been forthcoming, An Garda Síochánna have been on hand to push walkers into ditches, and drag motorists away to a lay-by while the convoys pass. These incidents have led to court cases, with the state prosecuting the public for obstruction. Another such case is for hearing in Belmullet this September 11th.

Aughoose
5km back up the estuary from Glengad sits Shell's tunneling compound at Aughoose. These fields were bought from a local farmer by Shell, much to the dismay of the campaign at large.

Reason for the tunnel
During an oral hearing in 2009 into the "Onshore Corrib Gas Pipeline Project", Shell admitted that, in the event of a rupture, houses within 230 metres of the pipeline could “burn spontaneously” from heat radiation if gas in the pipe was at full pressure. With the pipeline route submitted at the time, occupied dwellings fell within this kill-zone, and An Bord Pleannála wouldn't permit the pipeline be constructed as submitted.

Instead of rejecting the proposal however, they kept the application open and invited Shell to modify aspects of the plan. Shell were to follow a route along the estuary so that the occupied dwellings be kept out of the kill-zone - as defined by Shell. (The true danger zone has been vigorously contested, and may be much higher - some contend that the safety zone around the pipeline should be at least 500 metres - the norm in the United States - from any dwellings.) In effect ABP became co-designers of the project, and the reopened oral hearing in 2010 was a fait acccompli.

The rerouting of the pipeline about the centre-line of the estuary resulted in the inclusion of a 5km tunnel to house most of the onshore pipeline route. The tunneling site is operational, and it is estimated that approximately 1km of the 5km planned tunnel is completed.

Side-effects on the campaign of the tunnel
This rerouting of the pipeline means that there will be no Corrib infrastructure whatsoever on the Rossport side of the estuary. This could be construed as a victory of sorts, but in reality it just reduces the area on which to make a stand. Overall, because of the tunnel, there are fewer fields needed by Shell to complete the project.

Leenamore and 3km of pipeline through the forest
The 3km of onshore pipeline from the refinery to the tunneling compound looks to be mostly completed. On the day I photographed some pipe sections on a lorry, so there might be a bit to do nearer the refinery. This is, I think, all on land compulsorily acquisitioned by Shell from Coillte.

The refinery
The refinery has been practically completed for many years already and has been awaiting hook up to the Corrib field. It has been hooked up to the national grid and tested with gas (not Corrib gas) already, the pipes vented and filled with nitrogen gas to maintain it in a "state of preservation" according to Shell.

There have been consistent reports of mal-practice within the site - a zero accident safety policy that encourages the covering up of accidents as opposed to properly reporting them, and a culture of heavy drinking amongst workers.

This has manifested itself in April this year when a worker who was replacing water pipes mistakenly cut a gas pipeline instead. The pipe had been filled with nitrogen - not methane gas - and a major disaster was avoided. The accident was covered up, and only came to light over a week later when reports were leaked to the media.

Shell to Sea
The local Mayo group meets in Inver hall on Sunday evenings. After so many years of resistance, assaults on the campaign from Shell, the Gardaí, successive governments and the media, it is quite inspirational that people still hold their ground, and devote time and energy to resist as a group, even if the meetings are generally smaller than in the earlier stages of the campaign. I would say that there are still as many people opposed to Shell as ever, but at the moment less participation as a group, with fewer opportunities to come together as before.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp
For the first time since its inception in 2005, the camp is without a physical base or the full-time volunteers that made it tick. All the signs are that plenty people still want to support the cause, but without that something to come to, then only the initiated have the existing links into the community making visiting and contributing easier. Without some facilitation for new people to get involved, and unless there is a flash-point of resistance drawing new support, as it stands the outside support will be a declining resource.

Hopefully the news that the physical camp is closed will provoke serious thought and effort towards a new long-term strategy from people who want to manifest solidarity and resist the project.

Court
Ironically in the absence of set events to gather around, the state will bring some campaigners together in the name of justice. There are 8 people up in Belmullet district court on the 11th of September 10.30am. Two or three of the cases are for hearing - all support welcome.

Accommodation
Remember there's no camp accommodation anymore.
Here are two local options:

Kilcommon Lodge Holiday Hostel: http://www.kilcommonlodge.ie/ 00353 (0)97 84621
McGrath’s Pub B&B: 00353 (0)97 84626

If you stay in either place you'll have no trouble finding info and meeting people already involved in the campaign... if you want to :-)

Related Link: http://www.shelltosea.com
author by Shelverpublication date Sat Aug 31, 2013 18:20author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Signs of occupation

The fields in Glengad being used by Shell under CAO
The fields in Glengad being used by Shell under CAO

The 2009 pipeline pull-in compound - now the  LVI construction site
The 2009 pipeline pull-in compound - now the LVI construction site

Shell construction Convoy coming from Glengad on the L1202
Shell construction Convoy coming from Glengad on the L1202

This Shell funded "community enhancement" recently replaced an old hederow
This Shell funded "community enhancement" recently replaced an old hederow

House rented by Shell for RPS consultants
House rented by Shell for RPS consultants

author by Shelverpublication date Sat Aug 31, 2013 18:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Signs and Leenamore

The  "danger sinkhole" signs stick out over the high tide
The "danger sinkhole" signs stick out over the high tide

Edited sign on the Aughoose compound
Edited sign on the Aughoose compound

The right of way along the Lennamore river to the estuary
The right of way along the Lennamore river to the estuary

Special Area of Conservation dug up to lay the pipe under the Leeenamore stream
Special Area of Conservation dug up to lay the pipe under the Leeenamore stream

Looking along stream crossing into Aughoose compound.
Looking along stream crossing into Aughoose compound.

author by Shelverpublication date Sat Aug 31, 2013 18:45author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Aughoose and Leenamore

Pipeline laid into Aughoose
Pipeline laid into Aughoose

Pipeline going back to refinery
Pipeline going back to refinery

View into Aughoose
View into Aughoose

Mess
Mess

One of many Shell haulage signs decommissioned by campaigners - haulage continues
One of many Shell haulage signs decommissioned by campaigners - haulage continues

author by Shelverpublication date Sat Aug 31, 2013 18:53author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Pipelines under roads and refinery entrance

Where pipeline crosses under L1202 road
Where pipeline crosses under L1202 road

Refinery sign refined
Refinery sign refined

Old Campaign Bus and main entrance to refinery
Old Campaign Bus and main entrance to refinery

Memorial to the Ogoni Nine across from Shell main refinery entrance
Memorial to the Ogoni Nine across from Shell main refinery entrance

Where the Bord Gais transmission pipline crosses the road
Where the Bord Gais transmission pipline crosses the road

author by Shelverpublication date Sat Aug 31, 2013 19:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

more photos

Tunnel segments on route to Aughoose
Tunnel segments on route to Aughoose

Magic road - the road widening finishes dramatically at Gate 2
Magic road - the road widening finishes dramatically at Gate 2

IRMS guard laughing at sign behind him
IRMS guard laughing at sign behind him

Looking across to Rossport - family farms still under threat
Looking across to Rossport - family farms still under threat

Last sinkhole sign - 4km left to Glengad
Last sinkhole sign - 4km left to Glengad

author by Shelverpublication date Sat Aug 31, 2013 19:10author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Through the Shell funded "community enhancement scheme" someone has set their objection in concrete. Class.

Cracks in the pavement
Cracks in the pavement

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