Displaying items by tag: Phillips 66

11th February 2015

Bantry Bay Oil Terminal Sold to US Based Owners

#WhiddyOilTerminal – Bantry Bay Oil Terminal has been acquired by Houston, Texas based Zenith Energy, an international liquids and bulk terminal company from Phillips 66.

The terminal has a storage capacity of more than 8 million million barrels holding a third of Ireland's strategic petroleum reserves. Zenith intends to continue operating the terminal on a commercial basis.

For more the West Cork Times reports HERE.

Phillips 66 continues to operate Whitegate Oil Refinery in Cork Harbour, the only such facility in Ireland. As previously reported on Afloat.ie the refinery at Whitegate was withdrawn from sale last year following attempts to find a buyer failed.

Mike King of Phillips 66 was among the speakers of the major energy conference "Cork Harbour – Energising the Region" held in December.

To read his presentation and others click HERE on topics that discussed the opportunities and challenges in terms of energy, industry and tourism for the harbour.

Published in Coastal Notes

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Phillips 66 Pulls Out of Sale of Whitegate Oil Refinery

#WhitegateOilRefinery – The Irish Independent writes that the US oil company, Phillips 66 has pulled the sale of Ireland's only oil refinery at Whitegate in Cork as attempts to find a buyer failed.

Last June, Phillips 66 hired Deutsche Bank to help sell the refinery. However, despite smoking out several potential suitors, the company and its advisers were unable to seal a deal.

Phillips 66 will continue to operate the refinery in Cork, although it may seek to offload a nearby storage facility in Bantry Bay. Around 200 staff are employed by Phillips 66 across its Irish operations. For more on the story click HERE

As previously reported on Afloat.ie last year the Government-commissioned a report that said the state did not need its own oil refinery as it can import enough of the fuel to meet all its needs.

For a copy of the report published by the Department of Energy, click HERE.

Published in Coastal Notes

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.