Oil terminals are a key component of the energy supply industry in Ireland which is extensively based on the import, production and distribution of refined petroleum products. Some crude oil is imported for processing at Ireland's only oil refinery.[1]
Oil terminals are key facilities for the import, export, storage, blending, transfer and distribution of oil and petroleum products. Terminals are located at coastal sites to facilitate the offloading and loading of coastal shipping. Most terminals have road tanker loading equipment for local distribution of products to industrial, commercial and domestic users. The products handled include petrol, diesel, jet kerosene, fuel oil and heating oil.[2]
The table summarises details of the location and operation of the oil terminals in Ireland.[3]
| Bantry Bay | Reenrour, Bantry, County Cork | Zenith Energy | Total capacity 1,400,000 m3, 19 tanks, size 241 to 97,675 m3, Single point mooring buoy. Gasoline, Diesel, jet fuel. Land area 1,397,843 m2 | [4] [5] | |
| Dublin Airport | Dublin Airport, Swords, County Dublin | Circle K | Storage 15,000 m3, 3 tanks, hydrant system for fuelling | [6] | |
| Dublin Port | Dublin Port, Dublin, County Dublin | Valero / Applegreen | Marine terminal, common jetty. 18 storage tanks: 4 gasoline, 2 ethanol, 5 Jet A1, 6 Diesel. Terminal built by Esso 1950 | [7] | |
| Dublin Port | Dublin Port, Dublin, County Dublin | Irving Oil | Vessels to 55,000 Dead Weight Tonnes (DWT) | [8] | |
| Foynes | Foynes, County Limerick | Atlantic Fuel Supply Company | Total storage capacity 84,000 m3, 18 tanks, 2 jetties, vessels up to 35,000 DWT. Diesel, ethanol, FAME (biodiesel), fuel oil, gas oil, jet fuel, gasoline, petrol | [9] | |
| Galway | Galway Harbour Enterprise Park, Galway, County Galway | Circle K | Total capacity 50,995 m3, 25 tanks. Petroleum products, bitumen. Vessels 4,000 to 6,000 DWT. Built 2009. | [10] | |
| Shannon Foynes Port | Foynes, County Limerick | Exolum | Total storage 14,235 m3, 13 tanks, 750 m3 to 3,500 m3. Oil products and ethanol. Maximum 10,000 DWT | [11] | |
| Tarbert power station | Tarbert, County Kerry | SSE | Four Heavy fuel oil tanks leased by NORA | [12] | |
| Whitegate refinery | Whitegate, East Cork, County Cork | Irving Oil | Tank farm associated with Whitegate oil refinery | [13] |
Under the National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007 the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) is responsible for ensuring that Ireland retains a minimum of 90 days stock of oil and petroleum products in the event that supplies are disrupted. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) specifies annually the volumes of oil stocks to be held by NORA. The current minimum (2021) level of stock is:[14]
The National Oil Reserves Agency holds about 72% of its oil stocks in Ireland, and the balance abroad. In Ireland stocks are held in some of the above oil storage facilities including Dublin, Cork (Whitegate Refinery), Whiddy Island (Bantry Bay), Foynes, Shannon, Tarbert (power station), and Galway. Stocks are also held at Derry and Kilroot in Northern Ireland.
The total import of oil and oil products into Ireland over the period 1990 to 2019 is shown by the graph. The quantity is in thousand tonnes of oil equivalent.[15]