Romania Needs Shale Gas to Achieve Energy Independence

Romanian President Traian Băsescu announced during a television broadcast that “I have one year and a few month and I finish my mandate so I will not be in office when Romania will eventually produce its first cubic meter of shale gas or when the first cubic meter of gas from the Black Sea will be sold. I want to say something Romanians should remember: the goal of our policies in the energy field should be the energy independence. This type of independence was very important for me and as such, as the one responsible for Romania’s foreign policy, I have refused any contact with South Stream project and I wagered everything on Nabucco. Nabucco never came to be, but this does not mean we will abandon the idea of energy independence.”

Băsescu acknowledged there are environmental risks, as nothing is without risk, but Romania has already exploited shale gas, indirectly referring to Romgaz: “If we want to be truthful, we are talking about it in Romania now, but shale gas has been exploited with older technologies, at shallower depths. It was done in Romania a long time ago.”

“We do not have 100% coverage for the types of energy we must supply and the gas is in our way. We say we have energy structures but you must know we import oil. Romania could not fully cover its oil, diesel oil, fuel oil consumption only from internal production […]. In the summer we have excess electric energy but in the winter we do not have enough gas to provide heating for the population,” said Traian Băsescu.  

According to the National Statistic Institute, Romania has imported 45.6% less gas in the first semester of this year compared with the similar period of 2012.

The President’s statements came after the Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, said: “Europe and the Black Sea region must adapt and change, understanding that the battle for energy security, for sustainable energy […] is indeed an essential battle. Romania is determined, as is the my government, to be among the first governments and countries that understand this fundamental change, that understand that the battle for energy independence and, especially, for energy infrastructure is one of the most important battles in the years to come.”  

Gabriel Petrescu