Emerald Oil

Ireland gushes with hope

If autos could run on peat, the Irish would be energy sultans. But because the republic (pop. 3.4 million) has almost no other known resources of fuel, it must satisfy 65% of its energy needs with imported oil. For more than a decade, Ireland has been green with envy over Britain's North Sea petroleum windfall and has searched vainly for its own bonanza. Lately, though, Dublin has been awash in a gusher of speculation about a discovery in the Celtic Sea, which separates Ireland and Britain. Last week the rumors...

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