The methods that will be used by the U.S. company Frontera Resources International to geologically explore 40% of Moldova’s territory could have an irremediable negative impact on the environment. In a news conference at IPN, economist of the Independent Analytical Center “Expert-Grup” Sergiu Gaibu said the contract signed by the authorities with the U.S. company says that the latter will exploit and explore not only for natural gas, but also for hydrocarbons, which include shale gas, and this is a problem as over 80% of the area that is to be explored is populated.
Sergiu Gaibu said the authorities misinform when they say that only natural gas will be searched for. The contract stipulates the notion of hydrocarbons that are extracted by hydraulic fracturing and this procedure has a negative effect on the environment.
“Inoffensive deposits extraction methods should be clearly specified and communicated to the people and the local public authorities that will later have to explain why they accepted explorations by unwanted methods. We do not want the people to be exposed to risks. That’s why we want clear technical messages and information, including in the contract,” stated Sergiu Gaibu.
Expert Sergiu Ungureanu said hydraulic fracturing is the cheapest and most spread method of extracting shale gas, especially in unpopulated areas. If this method is allowed to be applied in the Republic of Moldova, serious ecological problems will appear.
“We risk losing the water resources because the phreatic water will be first of all affected. There will be no drinking water in wells and the quality of agricultural products will worsen. We risk witnessing an ecological disaster if we do not stop these actions now,” added Sergiu Ungureanu.
Also, the contract clauses are permissive as to the use of toxic or inflammable substances and the U.S. company is obliged to only reduce the use of toxic substances, not yet to exclude these. The contract does not specify penalties for environmental pollution and stipulates that all the resources belong to the state, but 85% of the area where works will be carried out is privately owned.
“The contract should provide that the company must negotiate aspects of the exploitation method individually, with each land owner. Expropriation by the state runs counter to the classical norms of using such land,” stated Sergiu Gaibu.
The experts of “Expert-Grup” call on the authorities to suspend the contract that enables the U.S. company Frontera Resources to explore for hydrocarbons on 40% of Moldova’s territory and to assess the bidding. They made a public call to the Government and Ministry of Environment after identifying a series of irregularities.
