Rossport Solidarity Camp was re-opened on the 25th of February, on the shoreline near to the beachhead where the pipeline is proposed to hit land. Campers, Mayo residents, and travelling supporters, particularly from Cork Shell to Sea, came together for a day of building. A full report is here:  http://www.indymedia.ie/article/74533
As the camp is located amid the fragile eco-system of machairs, a special type of grassy sand dune only found in the north west of Ireland and Scotland, we are making a special effort to minimise our ecological impact, with composting of waste and a grey water system to treat wastewater.
We have also installed running water and electricity from solar panels.
A contingent made up of folk from Earth First! UK and Nine Ladies Anti-quarry protest site are currently staying with us.
This weekend numbers at the camp shot up to over fifty, as we were visited by members of the university groups NUI Maynooth Global Awareness, and UCD Global Action, as well as activists from Dublin Shell to Sea.
Small report and photo here:  http://www.indymedia.ie/article/74783
The Rossport Five were invited to be grand marshals of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in San Francisco and there is a fundraiser in Cricklewood also, see:  http://www.indymedia.ie/article/74553.
A new film has been made documenting the insufficiency of the treatment of water running off the Ballinaboy refinery (shut down) construction site and into the regional drinking supply, see more about that issue here:  http://www.indymedia.ie/article/74344
The film is being shown at meetings in the local area.

In related news, Providence Resources, an oil and gas exploration company with interests in Ireland, the UK, and Nigeria, which is owned by the family who also own much of Ireland’s media, has signed out a farm out deal to jointly exploit the Dunquin field off the coast of Clare, with Exxon-Mobil (aka Esso). Local newspapers have reported that even the Burren is a potential target for resource extraction.
See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren This is also along the west coast, further south than Mayo.
In addition, another Irish based company, Finavera, has found gas reserves in the Lough Allen basin, an inland area that straddles counties Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh. This is two hours drive east of where the anti-Shell action is.

In a potentially important development two contractors doing offshore work for Shell with U.K. offices have been identified. They are Technip and Transocean.

Technip, are responsible for “Wellhead Protection Structure Installation” due to start on the 20th of April. They are here:
 http://www.technip.com/english/profile/p_complete.html

Their U.K. addresses are:
Duco Ltd
Walker Riverside - Nelson Road
Walker
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne - NE6 3NL - UK
Ph.: +44 191 295 0303
Fax: +44 191 295 0842

Genesis Oil & Gas Consultants Ltd (Aberdeen)
3 Queens Gate
Aberdeen - Scotland AB15 5YL - UK
Ph.: +44 1224 201 201
Fax: +44 1224 201 222

Genesis Oil & Gas Consultants Ltd (London)
262 High Holborn
London - WC1V 7NA - UK
Ph.: +44 207 611 5555
Fax: +44 207 611 5550

Perry Slingsby Systems Ltd
Ings Lane - Kirkbymoorside
York YO62 6EZ - UK
Ph.: +44 1751 431 751
Fax: +44 1751 431 388

Technip Offshore UK Limited (Aberdeen)
Entreprise Drive, Westhill
Aberdeenshire AB32 6TQ - UK
Ph.: +44 1224 271 000
Fax: +44 1224 271 271

Technip Offshore UK Limited -
Evanton Spoolbase
Highland Deephaven
Industrial Estate
Evanton
Ross-Shire IV16 9XJ - UK
Ph.: +44 1349 863 336
Fax: +44 1349 830 959

While Transocean at  http://www.deepwater.com/CompanyOffices.cfm
are to carry out well completion from late September to mid October 2006.

Their U.K. offices are here:
Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K.
Aberdeen Office
Transocean House
Crawpeel Road
Altens Industrial Estate
Aberdeen AB12 3LG
Scotland, U.K.
Main Phone: 44 1224 427700
Aberdeen Training Center
Hareness Circle
Altens Industrial Estate
Aberdeen
Main Phone: 44 1224 427670
Details are here:  http://www.iooa.ie/upcoming_activities.htm

Protests at these companies are welcome.