Communication from Ireland pursuant to Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons

(2002/C 324/08)

(Text with EEA relevance)

In accordance with Article 3(3) of the abovementioned Directive, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources hereby gives notice of a change in regard to areas available for licensing from the previous notice published in the Official Journal of the European Communities C 356 of 22 November 1997, page 2.

The Porcupine Basin is now available for granting any exclusive hydrocarbon exploration authorisations.

Hydrocarbon exploration frontier licensing initiative in the Porcupine Basin

An area covering 241 blocks in the Porcupine Basin has been designated a frontier area and has been selected for inclusion in a petroleum exploration licensing initiative. Licensing will be by means of four tranches, which will be successively opened for licence bids at near six-monthly intervals between 15 March, 2003 and 15 October, 2004. Until 15 October, 2003, the first closing date of the first tranche, no exploration licence or licensing option will be issued in respect of any of the blocks in the round.

List of blocks (228 full blocks and 26 half blocks)

Tranche 1: (39 whole blocks; 6 half blocks)

Application Closing Dates: 15 March and 15 October, 2003, 15 March and 15 October, 2004

34/4; 34/5; 34/9; 34/10;

35/1; 35/2; 35/3; 35/4; 35/5; 35/6; 35/7; 35/8; 35/9; 35/10; 35/13; 35/14; 35/15; 35/18(E); 35/19; 35/20; 35/23(E); 35/24; 35/25; 35/29; 35/30;

36/1; 36/6; 36/11; 36/16; 36/21; 36/22; 36/26; 36/27;

44/4; 44/5; 44/9; 44/10; 44/14(N); 44/15(N);

45/1; 45/2; 45/6; 45/7; 45/11(N); 45/12(N).

Tranche 2: (32 whole blocks; nine half blocks)

Application Closing Dates: 15 October, 2003, 15 March and 15 October, 2004

34/14; 34/15; 34/18; 34/19; 34/20; 34/23; 34/24; 34/25; 34/28; 34/29; 34/30;

35/11; 35/12; 35/16; 35/17; 35/18(W); 35/21; 35/22; 35/23(W); 35/26; 35/27; 35/28;

43/3; 43/4; 43/5; 43/8; 43/9; 43/10; 43/12(N); 43/13(N); 43/14(N); 43/15(N);

44/1; 44/2; 44/3; 44/6; 44/7; 44/8; 44/11(N); 44/12(N); 44/13(N).

Tranche 3: (23 whole blocks)

Application Closing Dates: 15 March and 15 October, 2004

25/25; 25/30;

26/16; 26/17; 26/18; 26/19; 26/20; 26/21; 26/22; 26/23; 26/24; 26/25; 26/26; 26/27; 26/28; 26/29; 26/30;

27/16; 27/17; 27/21; 27/22; 27/26; 27/27.

Tranche 4: (134 whole blocks; 11 half blocks).

Application Closing Date: 15 October, 2004

43/12(S); 43/13(S); 43/14(S); 44/15(S); 43/17; 43/18; 43/22; 43/23; 43/27; 43/30;

44/11(S); 44/12(S); 44/13(S); 44/14(S); 44/15(S); 44/16; 44/17; 44/19; 44/20; 44/21; 44/22; 44/25; 44/26; 44/27; 44/28;

45/11(S); 45/12(S); 45/16; 45/17; 45/21; 45/22; 45/23; 45/24; 45/26; 45/27; 45/28; 45/29; 45/30;

52/1; 52/2; 52/3; 52/4; 52/5; 52/6; 52/7; 52/8; 52/9; 52/10; 52/11; 52/12; 52/13; 52/14; 52/15; 52/16; 52/17; 52/18; 52/19; 52/20; 52/21; 52/22; 52/23; 52/24; 52/25; 52/26; 52/27; 52/28; 52/29; 52/30;

53/1; 53/2; 53/3; 53/4; 53/5; 53/6; 53/7; 53/8; 53/9; 53/10; 53/11; 53/12; 53/13; 53/14; 53/15; 53/16; 53/17; 53/18; 53/19; 53/20; 53/21; 53/22; 53/23; 53/24; 53/25; 53/26; 53/27; 53/28; 53/29; 53/30;

54/1; 54/2; 54/3; 54/4; 54/5; 54/6; 54/7; 54/8; 54/9; 54/10; 54/11; 54/12; 54/13; 54/14; 54/15; 54/16; 54/17; 54/18; 54/19; 54/20; 54/21; 54/22; 54/23; 54/24; 54/26; 54/27; 54/28; 54/29;

60/2; 60/3; 60/4; 60/5; 60/8; 60/9; 60/10;

61/1; 61/2; 61/3; 61/4; 61/5; 61/6; 61/7; 61/8; 61/9; 61/10;

62/1; 62/2.