Monday, 6 February 2012US Secretary of State Hillary Cinton has agreed with Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov that environmental safety should be the highest priority as far as shale gas research and exploration are concerned, US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick said.
In an interview for the Bulgarian National Television early on Monday, Warlick stated that the US has a beautiful nature, just like Bulgaria, but it has come a long way towards safe shale gas exploration, as new technologies and appropriate regulations have been implemented.
The US will not try to pressure Bulgaria by any means, and the Balkan country should objectively consider the issue, since there are always risks when it comes to energy production, the US Ambassador added.
He further pointed out that gas prices in the US have dropped significantly courtesy of shale gas extraction, while Bulgaria's prices are still four times higher.
"It is up to the Bulgarian government to decide and we will respect any decision," Warlick declared. He referred to the recent moratorium that Bulgaria imposed on the use of hydraulic fracturing technology in oil and gas research and extraction.
The US envoy also admitted that US energy giant Chevron has shown signs of an unorganized approach by believing that everything was ready for their Bulgarian operations.
On January 17, the Bulgarian government revoked a shale gas exploration permit granted to Chevron for deposits in Northeastern Bulgaria, citing the insufficient proof of the environmental safety of hydraulic fracturing.
On January 18, the Cabinet imposed an indefinite ban on hydraulic fracturing, a method which involves injecting a mix of water, sand and chemicals at very high pressure deep underground to crack rock and release oil and gas.
In his Monday interview, Warlick also commented on the potential construction of a seventh unit in Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant, revealing that Westinghouse would surely be interested in the project.
He reminded that the rival nuclear power plant project, Belene, would be situated in a seismically active zone. |
Monday, 6 February 2012
novinite.com
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