“In Vaslui county, Chevron is in the process of initial permitting for a conventional exploration well in 2012,” Holst said, adding that “no field activity is currently underway in (Constanta)”, except plans for a seismic study that would enable the company to “avoid areas of high cultural value, cities and villages and sensitive environmental habitats”.
Thus, Chevron would consider an exploration project only after exploration activities, which are set to take five years, according to the news release.
“Chevron is determined to create jobs for Romanians, to generate revenue for the state, to protect the environment and to help the local communities where it operates,” Holst said, adding that the company understands local fears regarding technologies that “are new to Romania, but have been safely used for decades in many locations”.
Romania’s government recently approved the exploration and drilling agreements concluded between local mineral resources agency ANRM and US oil group Chevron for three Black Sea blocks.
The agreements, valid starting March 28, allow Chevron to explore, develop and drill for shale gas in the Vama Veche, Adamclisi and Costinesti blocks on the Black Sea coast.
The addendum to the government approval, which contains the main provisions of these three agreements, was classified.
The US giant’s intention to drill for shale gas in Romania sparked a large protest in Barlad, where the company holds rights to another block. The rally was joined by 5,000 people who claim the project’s cancellation, since the extraction method used by company, hydraulic fracturing, is believed to be dangerous.