American oil and gas company Chevron will start exploratory drilling for shale gas in the second half of the year in Barlad, near the Moldovan border in Eastern Romania, according to an announcement from the company. Chevron will also soon begin seismic studies in the Constanta seaside area.

The company is still waiting on some permits and approvals from the authorities for exploration work in Vaslui and Constanta.

Prospecting will take three to five years, according to Chevron, after which the company and the Romanian authorities are to decide on whether or not to begin production.

In Romania, Chevron owns rights to exploration and exploitation of gas in Barlad and three area in Constanta county – Vama Veche, Adamclisi and Costineşti. The firm is hoping to carry out exploration in the three areas followed by development and exploitation.

US energy company Chevron has been in negotiations over shale gas exploration in Romania for well over a year. The Social Liberal Union put all shale gas projects on hold last year when the party took power. Since then, EU environmental studies on the impact of shale gas exploration have been published and the Romanian government has allowed projects to continue.

editor@romania-insider.com