Romania reviewing moratorium on Shale Gas while Chevron waits

Romania to review moratorium on drilling for shale gas , Chevron await decision

Romania’s Prime Minister, Victor Ponta  has committed to a review of it’s potential for shale gas drilling when the current  moratorium expires in December  2012.

“After that (December), we plan to adopt a decision that takes into account both concerns over environment protection and the importance of alternative energy sources for Romania,” commented Ponta.  His own party, the Social-Democrat Party has campaigned against shale gas drilling, although nothing will happen before 2018, as he added, “In six years’ time technology will evolve a lot and a decision will be taken at a European level regarding the dangers linked to it and the way to do away with them,”.

“We want to be neither the only country to accept shale gas tapping nor the only one to oppose it.”

Ponta’s government instructed a moratorium on shale gas soon after coming to power in May this year, which halted plans by American oil giant Chevron to drill the first exploration well in the second half of 2012.

Chevron has a concession on 600,000 hectares in the Barlad area (east) and three others in the Dobroudja region (south-east), near the Bulgarian border.

‘Fracking’ uses high pressure injections of water, sand and chemicals to crack open rock and release oil and gas trapped inside. The technique is currently banned in France and Bulgaria.