Ponta: We don’t have shale gas, we fought on something we do not have

PM Victor Ponta, who on Sunday evening has been present in a TV show, made a series of statements on Romania’s energetic independence after having first showed that our country must be independent and have its own conventional and off-shore resources. He declared that Romania lacks shale gas and that therefore it fought on something it doesn’t have.

When the TV show guest has said the shale gas issue should be postponed bringing as counterargument the fact that the existent resources in the Black Sea assure the country’s energetic independence for over 30 years, while shale gas represent a controversial theme drawing many unfavorable aspects to any politician supporting it, the prime minister has replied: “It was postponed anyway because… it seems that we don’t have shale gas, we fought very hard on something we do not have. I do not think we fought on something that exists.” He added that conventional gas in the Black Sea is in exploration.

Chevron has yet to complete an assessment of Romania’s natural gas potential from shale, U.S. energy major replied to PM’s statement. Chevron is analysing the data gathered during its drilling and seismic operations to further understand the resource potential of natural gas from shale. When the analysis has been completed, the results will be provided to the National Agency of Mineral Resources (NAMR) and will remain in the (Romanian) state’s custody,” Chevron told Reuters.

A month ago, Economy Minister Constantin Nita said that Romania may be the main player energy related and shale gas exploitation will have to be accepted by most countries, adding that Romania has a great advantage because it has all the possible energetic resources.

In July, Chevron ended its shale gas exploitation activities in Silistea-Pungesti, Vaslui County, after two months of drilling at 3.000 meters underground, mentioning then that information obtained during the process will be analyzed for establishing the pool’s potential.

Chevron started in early May exploiting shale gas near Sili?tea village, Vaslui County, Punge?ti locality, being the first location in Romania where the oil company has began prospecting possible unconventional pools.

Chevron Romania has other three environment agreements in Vaslui County for shale gas exploitation in several localities such as P?ltini? – B?ce?ti, Popeni – G?ge?ti ?i Puie?ti. The company has also obtained, in April 2014, its second construction authorization for placing a new exploitation drill in the area Chevron Romania owns in Puie?ti.

After obtaining the aforementioned authorization on October 3, 2013, there have been various violent protests of the local people.

Activists from seven countries of Greenpeace organization have protested against the process of shale gas exploitation in Romania, but Prime Minister Victor Ponta supported the process, showing that shale gas is a topic that should be seriously discussed because if there is no gas in our domestic production, then the alternative is buying it from Russia.