Irish oil men are reporting a surge of interest in drilling for oil and gas in the waters off Ireland's south and west coasts but some fear this may only be a window of opportunity that will close if, as analysts expect, oil prices fall.

"There has been a huge uplift in the level of interest over the past year or so and, I guess, $50 oil is driving that," said David Hough, managing director of Circle Oil, a small Irish exploration firm with interests in the Celtic Sea.
The rise of interest in exploration in Ireland echoes a global trend that has seen many countries not known for hydrocarbon wealth attract attention from would-be wildcatters.
"Given the current oil price ... companies are looking wider than they may have done in the past," said Andy Pyle, managing director of Shell Exploration and Production Ireland.
The Irish government  is adopting a more vigorous approach to marketing the nation's potential internationally.