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 Romania could potentially hold 51 trillion cubic feet of shale gas,
which would cover domestic demand for more than a century, the U.S.
Energy Information Administration estimates.
U.S. energy major Chevron began work on the exploration well in the
village of Pungesti in eastern Romania in December, after postponing
operations several times because of protests from hundreds of local
residents.
Protesters say they are concerned Chevron will use fracking, or
hydraulic fracturing - the process which helps retrieve gas trapped
in tight layered underground rock formations by injecting
high-pressure water, sand and chemicals.
Critics say it can pollute water supplies and trigger small
earthquakes. Advocates say it has a strong safety record and point
to countries like the United States, where extensive fracking has
driven down energy prices.
Chevron, the first company to begin exploring for shale gas in
European Union member Romania, aims to put up more wells in the area
and has repeatedly said it does not plan to use fracking under its
five-year exploration program.
On Monday, about 25 Greenpeace activists from Romania, Hungary,
Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Germany descended
on the Pungesti site.
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Wearing bright yellow jackets, the activists blocked access to the
road and chained themselves to the tall gates, which have barbed
wire on top. They waved banners that said "Pungesti-anti-Chevron
quarantine area" and "Stop fracking".
Several police officers were sent to the site but have not yet taken
steps to remove the activists.
Chevron also has the rights to explore three other Romanian license
blocks, near the Black Sea.
(Reporting by Bogdan Cristel; Writing by Luiza Ilie; Editing by
Pravin Char)
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