Shale Gas Protests in Western Romania

At the beginning of 2013, Romania saw an increase of local community protests against the exploitation of shale gas

The end of the moratorium regarding the shale gas exploitation imposed by the Romanian Government until December of last year, has generated a flood of grant requests for exploitation perimeters from the oil companies interested in the exploitation of shale gas. In this context, the beginning of the New Year was marked by the approval by the Romanian government of five new oil grant agreements for exploration – development – exploitation closed by National Agency for Mineral Resources. The five approved agreements are:

• Oil agreement in the perimeter EX-2 TRIA, closed between National Agency for Mineral Resources and East West Petroleum Corp;
• Oil agreement in the perimeter EX-11 Buzias, closed between National Agency for Mineral Resources and Universal Premium SA;
• Oil agreement in the perimeter EX-6 Curtici, closed between National Agency for Mineral Resources and Hungarian MOL together with SC Expert Petroleum SRL;
• Oil agreement in the perimeter EX-4 Tulca, closed between National Agency for Mineral Resources and Clara Petroleum LTD;
• Oil agreement in the perimeter EX-9 Paulis, closed between National Agency for Mineral Resources and Universal Premium SA.

One of these agreements between the National Agency for Mineral Resources and the Canadians firm East West Petroleum Corp, gave rise to a series of protests from residents nearby the perimeter, when company officials announced that they were considering the commencement of exploratory drilling in Bihor County area.

According to a statement of the Canadian company’s officials: “East West Petroleum Corp is pleased to announce that it has received the final approval from the Government in Romania to begin operations on the 1.000 square km on the leased perimeter EX-2 Tria in the west of Romania.” Furthermore, the official statement of the company mentions that according to the field studies made by the company “there is information that a large amount of shale gas might exist in the areas controlled by East West Petroleum.”

East West has announced a two year program which includes gathering 3D seismic data from 120 square kilometers and 2D seismic data from 200 kilometers and drilling three bores. Greg Renwick, executive officer of East West Petroleum stated at the beginning of this year for a local newspaper that “gathering of seismic data implies the identification by sound waves of the best locations to place the bores.” This technique is used world-wide and it has been used before in Tria. “The population will not be affected”, said Renwick.

In this context, the residents of Santmartin began a project to oppose future shale gas exploitation, using hydraulic fracking, in the neighborhood of the village. The village officials denounce the lack of communication with East West Petroleum Corp regarding future shale gas exploitation in the area. According to the officials, they learned from media sources at the beginning of this year that the National Agency for Mineral Resources had granted approval for the exploration and exploitation of the underground deposit.

The first step of the Sanmartin community in their attempt to oppose shale gas exploitation was to send a memorandum under the signature of the local mayor, they sent to the Romanian Government, to the Prime Minister Victor Ponta a memorandum to inform on the potential danger to the area in case there will be made shale gas exploitations. The memorandum is signed and supported by neighboring villages that will be affected by the exploitation, such as Felix and 1 Mai.

The Mayor of Santmartin, Lucian Popus and the Deputy Mayor of Felix, Nicolae Leuce warn regarding the danger posed by the shale gas exploitation to the hydropathic tourism in Oradia area, known for its thermal baths unique in the North-West region of Romania. The representatives of the local communities feel that the bores are, certainly, not compatible with the tourism in the Baile Felix and Baile 1 Mai resorts. The resorts are included in the hydrocarbons exploitation perimeter – oil or shale gas. According to the local representatives the shale gas undermine the thermal potential in the Baile Felix – Baile 1 Mai area, taking into account that Baile Felix area was already identified as a oil exploitation perimeter.   

Also the representatives of the Tarii Crisurilor Museum feel that a decision for the future of Felix area is needed: oil fields or hydropathic tourism? “Either we want tourism or we want oil and gas exploitations. The two do not go together”, said curator Radu Huza, the custodian of the Natural Reservation Paraul Petea from Baile 1 Mai area. The issue of shale gas is mentioned in the measure plan proposed by the Tarii Crisurilor Museum for the rescue of the Ochiul Mare Lake with water lilies existing in the Baile 1 Mai region. Among the 15 measures proposed by the Museum to save this thermal lake and filed at the Bihor Prefecture, is included: “the interdiction of exploration/exploitation works by drilling for useful mineral substances (oil, shale gas, etc) in the perimeter of the underground thermal waters 1 Mai – Felix.”

This is how the curators explain the demand to forbid drilling works: “The National Agency for Mineral Resources plans to lease prospecting/exploration/exploitation perimeters in the region Baile Felix – Baile 1 Mai for oil and shale gas, by high depth drilling. Besides the high risk of damage to the thermal deposit, the drilling fields that will emerge in the area will change the local landscape and scenery. The people from Sanmartin together with the local administration and the Romanian Government must decide on the future development of the village”, is shown in the Tarii Crisurilor Museum proposal sent to the prefect, Claudiu Pop.

The for and against discussions regarding shale gas exploitation in Bihor County region as well as the opposition of the citizens in the villages that could be affected by the plans of the company East West Petroleum Corp show that there are misunderstandings on the subject between the local and central authorities, both represented by politicians from USL, the coalition currently governing the country. Last week, in a public debate on this issue, the president of the Bihor County Council, Cornel Popa, seemed disconcerted by the USL government attitude. Popa said that no one for the government discussed with him before approving the lease of the Tria and Tulca perimeters, by Government Decision.   

Another action started by the local authorities against shale gas exploitation in the area is a signature gathering campaign with the purpose of imposing a local referendum by which the citizens of Bihor County will decide if they want shale gas exploitation or the interdiction of such economic activity in their County. Until the last day of January there were gathered a little over 10.000 signatures and the action will continue until the required number of signatures for imposing a referendum will be gathered. According to legal procedures, in order to organize a local referendum there is necessary to raise signatures of at least 25% of citizens with voting rights. According to the last valid census from 2002, in Bihor County there are 513.048 citizens with voting rights.

Silviu Molnar