A new round of protests against shale gas exploitation in Romania are set to begin over the border in Bulgaria. Following the decision by the Romanian government to grant exploration permits to US oil and gas giant Chevron in the Constanta – Vama Veche coastal area, Bulgarians have vowed to protest over the potential detrimental environmental repercussions for the region, according to Bulgarian news site Novinite.

Vama Veche lies right on the Romanian side of the border with Bulgaria and activists fear that using the controversial fracking technique would damage the environment on both sides of the frontier. There have already been protests in North-Eastern Bulgarian city Dobrich against shale gas extraction plans in Romania.

The permits granted to Chevron allow the company to carry out controlled explosions at a depth of 10 – 15 meters in the Costinesti/Vama Veche area, according to Romania's environment ministry. The Bulgarian protestors fear that shale gas exploitation will destroy the soil, poison the waters, and depopulate the adjacent region region of Bulgaria, according to Novinite.

Romania recently gave the green light to several companies to explore for shale gas in the Dobrogea region. The announcement was made by the Environment Minister Rovana Plumb. “In order to get to exploitation, we need to see if we have this resource and when and where we will have it. And without exploration we cannot find out. Yes, we have given the OK for Dobrogea, because there isn’t any risk,” said Plumb.

In Romania, Chevron owns rights to exploration of gas in Barlad and three areas in Constanta county – Vama Veche, Adamclisi and Costinesti – for which Chevron received concession agreements in March 2012. According to the company, the three onshore blocks cover some 2,700 sq km. The company previously said it was hoping to start exploration this year.

Hydraulic fracturing is the fracturing of various rock layers by a pressurized liquid, and is more commonly known as fracking. It is a technique used to release petroleum, natural gas (including shale gas, tight gas, and coal seam gas), or other substances for extraction. Opponents of this technique complain about the potential environmental impacts, including contamination of ground water, risks to air quality, the migration of gases and pushing chemicals to the surface.

editor@romania-insider.com