The campaign group Shell to Sea has slammed the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for selecting British consultancy firms Wood Mackenzie as the advisors on a new review of Ireland’s oil and gas fiscal terms.
The group claim the consultancy firm have “extremely close connections to the oil and gas industry” so the results of the review will be a “forgone conclusion”.
Shell to Sea also claims Wood Mackenzie has been writing reports for oil companies on Corrib since 1998.
The Irish Times reported on Wednesday that Wood MacKenzie said it had carried out analysis of the Corrib field as part of its “independent upstream research service”.
“This includes similar analysis of over 3,000 fields around the world and is provided to all Wood Mackenzie clients – including governments, financial institutions, oil and gas companies and utilities – on an annual subscription basis,” the company said.
“Indeed, we will be able to draw upon this deep research base in analysing this important issue for the Irish Government.”
Wood Mackenzie was appointed to carry out the review of the oil and gas fiscal terms following a public procurement exercise.
Shell to Sea’s Terence Conway said: “The results of the so-called review are a foregone conclusion, as the Department has consistently made it clear they want the oil companies to get the vast majority of the profits, from whatever oil and gas is found.”
