Romania: "Shale Gas can be a Viable Solution"

"Shale gas can be a viable solution. If they are in the US, why not here?”

Shale gas "can be a viable solution" for energy independence, commented Romania's Energy Minister.

In comments to the Romanian press, Constantin Nita said, "... If they are in the United States, I don’t see why they couldn’t be a viable solution in Europe too. If here the price for natural gas has reached over 400 dollars/thnd. cb. m, than why is it that in the United Stated the price is 113? What does this mean? This means that the United States will win in the competition for products employing natural gas, based on lower costs and, therefore, lower prices. Thus, I see no reason why things would work there but not here".

When asked whether shale gas exploration would be followed by exploitation, the minister replied: "We should not take exploration for exploitation. First, let’s see if we have any. If we have unconventional gas, then surely a decision will be made on what we’ll do with them, whether we’ll exploit them or we’ll keep them, as the case might be. We should not exaggerate this matter for now."

The present government’s perspective on the exploitation of shale gas takes into account Romania’s energy security and is consistent with the opinions of other leading Romanian politicians, including Senator Mircea Geoana, a finalist in the last presidential elections,

Speaking as President of the Aspen Institute during the Bucharest Forum / Energy 2013, Senator Geoana, stated that "Romania is the first country of the EU who could become energetically independent in the years to come”, said Geoana. “If we would reduce consumption and increase the energetic efficiency, we could be an independent country even now."

Moreover, "Romania could become a large energy exporter,” Geoana concluded.

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