Chevron May Start Drilling for Shale Gas in Bulgaria 2015

Energy | December 13, 2011, Tuesday // 10:39|  views

Delyan Dobrev, Bulgaria's Deputy Energy and Economy Minister. File photo by dnevnik.bg

US energy giants Chevron will start its exploratory drillings for shale gas in Bulgaria in 2015 if the country does not have moratorium in place abolishing shale gas exploration on its territory by then.

Chevron's working program foresees carrying out two exploratory drillings in 2015 and two more in 2016, Delyan Dobrev, Bulgaria's Deputy Energy and Economy Minister, has told the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency. Until then, the company will only carry out seismic research in the country, Dobrev has explained after meeting its representatives.

The Chevron representatives have also announced that the company is launching information campaigns in the regions and municipalities where the potential shale gas exploration is to take place.

Last Friday, Bulgaria's Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traicho Traikov revealed that the contract with US energy giant Chevron for shale gas exploration and production in Bulgaria, which is still being negotiated, will not be made fully public because there is an element of a trade secret.

He gave assurances, however that talks were underway with the company for making a substantial part of the agreement available to the public.

The document would also provide for unlimited liability in the case of environmental damage and the obligation to cover 100% of the cost of eliminating it.

The issue of shale gas drilling in Bulgaria on concession by Chevron Corp escalated in the past few weeks, with environmentalists staging several protests and voicing concerns that two shale gas wells were being prepared for a launch.

The environmentalists are concerned that the potential shale gas exploration using hydraulic fracturing in Northeastern Bulgaria may cause irreversible damage to its nature.

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Tags: Chevron, shale gas, Northeastern Bulgaria, hydraulic fracturing, environmentalists, energy, drilling, Traicho Traikov, shale gas exploration

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