Oil And Gas Reserves

25.

Mr. Beggs
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining the findings of explorations to date in Northern Ireland for oil and gas reserves.

Mr. Needham
Since 1964, nine exploration licences have been granted by the Department of Economic Development and seven exploratory wells have been drilled. Four of those wells had gas shows, but these were not sufficient quantities for commercial exploitation.