Romania Issues Permits for Shale Gas Exploration in the Dobrogea Region

The Romanian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Rovana Plumb, has announced that permits have been issued for the exploration for shale gas in the Dobrogea region.

“In order to be able to exploit it we must see if we have this resource and where do we have it. Thus, without exploration we cannot identify it, for now we are in the exploration stage. Yes, we have issued permits for Dobrogea because there is no risk. […] It is taken very seriously; it is clear that for exploration, on the technology used there are no risks regarding the environment, no transfer regarding the quality of the drinking water, respectively the infestation of the underground water because it is not used the hydraulic fracking technology. Maybe this thing should have been better explained. If it were explained, probably the way in which this investment is seen would have been different. But we need these explorations”, said Minister Plumb.

The Environment Minister added, “Any investment must abide by all the norms and regulations regarding environment protection. As long as, with respect to shale gas exploration in Romania it is not used the hydraulic fracking method, from the point of view of environment protection there is no risk. So, for Dobrogea area and for the other areas where the foreign companies have applied for licenses for exploration and prospection, from the environment point of view the permit can be issued, the procedure posing no risk.”

Plumb has mentioned that Bulgaria has started the prospection stage in shale gas development and, in this context, said that all states members in the EU need energy independence, shale gas exploitation being one of the solutions. This solution was applied by Poland, which is in an advanced stage and, recently, by Great Britain and by other member states that are in the exploration and prospection stage.

She detailed that, in order to reach the exploitation stage, first there must be made the exploration for shale gas, a process that takes five years. This was said in response to the fears of the environmental activists, who are seen as the main opposition to shale gas exploitation.

“I only tell you from the point of view of Environment Ministry, with all responsibility and seriousness, that there is no environmental risk related to the exploration because it is not used the hydraulic fracking technology. The first stage is the prospecting component, that means the testing of the earthquake risk, the second stage that, on average, takes five years is the exploration stage, respectively identifying the resource on the territory of the member state and then the third stage, after five years, means the exploitation; the capitalization of the potential resource that was identified as a result of the exploration”, said Rovana Plumb.

The Mayor of the largest city in Dobrogea, Constanta, Radu Mazare who took part in the press conference, said that if the Americans exploit shale gas then they could be useful for our country.

“If the ones we watch and consider as being ahead of us from a democracy point of view and from a industrial point of view, the Americans, are doing it for ten years and have transformed from a country that imported gas into one that exports it and the economic studies consider that the revival of the American economy, that has not happened in Europe, after the crisis is largely due to shale gas exploitation. And I will explain you why. Because the gas used in the economy is eight times cheaper than the European gas and it is logical that from cars to balloons, tampons and so on, everywhere gas is used in the industry, its price being eight times lower than in Europe, the price of the product is lower and this makes it competitive on the global market”, explained the Mayor of Constanta.

The Mayor of Constanta feels that shale gas represent a solution to end the economic crisis, “The Europeans hesitated, did not approve of it and they go from crisis to crisis from country to country and from social movements to social movements. In Spain the unemployment rate is 27%, among the young of 55 percent. In America the things are not like this. If they use it for ten years I don’t see why we …. You know how it is, the one who has nothing is very proud.”

Mazare says that the exploitation in Dobrogea will not take place on the coastline and could determine a decrease of the price of heating for the population.

“From what I understood and discussed, the exploitation does not take place on the coastline; it is further inland. I had a meeting with Chevron representative and I asked him to tell me the advantages for the local community and I’m waiting for him to come. Maybe, if this exploitation is done; of course with all environment permits that are not my area; it will give us cheaper gas that will be seen in the price of the gig calorie and the heating in the winter will be with 20 or 25 percent lower. And then we think if we want to be high-flown since in America this thing happens for ten years”, detailed Mayor Radu Mazare.

While the Ministry made the public announcement about the issuance of permits for shale gas exploitation in Dobrogea, it did not disclose which companies were granted the permits. Commentators believe that one of the companies is Chevron, the main promoter of shale gas exploitation in Romania.

Opponents to shale gas development were disappointed with the news. Remus Cernea, the president of the Green Party said, “We do not think that the government should allow shale gas exploration and we ask the Minister Rovana Plumb to immediately withdraw the prospection permits recently issued for Dobrogea area. These permits may generate rightful concerns among the citizens and may affect the tourist areas in the future. The argument of the Minister that we must see what the existent shale gas resources are and then to wait for a new technology that will not be based on hydraulic fracking is not reassuring. We should wait for a technology that will not pose dangers for the environment, if such technology will be developed and then to eventually consider the exploration.”

Text: Silviu Molnar