Over 8,000 people protested Wednesday in Barlad, eastern Romania, against the exploration and exploitation of shale gas.
US oil giant Chevron Corp. said in a report recently it would start exploration drilling at its Barlad shale concession in Romania in the second half of 2013.
Chevron operates four onshore shale gas concessions in Romania, one in Barlad City and three in the southeastern county of Constanta near the Black Sea.
The US company said acquisition of 2-D seismic data across its three concessions in Constanta is also expected to commence in the second half of 2013.