Kishinev, 28 Aug — Sputnik. At once some earthquakes occurred to Romania in the past weekend. Tremors registered in a zone of Vrancha at a depth more than hundred kilometers, researchers of the Romanian National institute of physics of Earth reported. The first pushes occurred near settlements of Nehoiu, Buzeu, Judet of Covasna and Odobesht.
Seismologists note that for one only August to Romania 16 earthquakes were recorded, and strength of three of them exceeded 3 points by the Richter scale. The strongest this year the earthquake happened in April when tremors made 4,6 points.
the Reason of strengthening of seismic activity can become production of slate gas, experts
tellthe Company Chevron began search of slate gas to Romania in 2013, but stopped drilling in two years after completion of preliminary works. However, because of intervention in crust, in it was irreversible processes are recorded.
At this Chevron, though achieved permission to investigation of fields of slate gas to east and southeast Romania, but in process faced active protests from the ecological organizations and locals. The protesting claimed that gas production from slate creates serious risks for environment.
In the east of Romania where conducted Chevron works, protest moods concerning slate gas are strong. This territory adjoins border with Bulgaria which imposed a ban on its production for ecological reasons because was used technology hydraulic fracturing of layers.
Some experts consider that there is a communication (though not a straight line) between production of slate gas and earthquakes, and even in spite of the fact that because of the economic reasons of Chevron refused the project of production of slate gas to Romania.
the Head of the Center of experimental seismology of Institute of biology and seismology of ANM Iliesh Ion noted that, despite a series of small earthquakes, in a seismoactive zone of Vranchi there is an energy accumulation that can bring in the future to powerful pushes.
"The center is discharged by, but partially. Nevertheless there is an accumulation of energy and, naturally, there will be stronger earthquake. Always, when the center is discharged, there comes the calm period. After strong earthquakes of 2004 there was no earthquake measuring more than 7 which would discharge the center for many years. And, naturally, we should expect a strong earthquake" — told in interview Sputnik the scientist.
Meanwhile, because of technologies hydraulic fracturing there could be an accumulation of energy to Romania.
"Horizontal drilling and layer hydraulic fracturing in itself are used byfor a production intensification in traditional fields from the middle of the XX century without negative consequences. However only at slate production questions" began to arise about it — noted in the comment Sputnik Kapitonov Yvan, associate professor Vysshey shkoly korporativnogo upravleniya (VSHKU) THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ACADEMY NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PUBLIC SERVICE AT PRESIDENT THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, ACADEMY AT PRESIDENT THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, RANEPA, FEDERAL STATE-FUNDED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION FOREIGN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION "ROSSIYSKAYA ACADEMY NARODNOGO ECONOMY I GOSUDARSTVENNOY SLUZHBY PRI PREZIDENTE ROSSIYSKOY FEDERATSII".
the Expert also gave examples.
"As one of the most striking examples of negative consequences of slate production, usually call interrelation of two small earthquakes in 2011 near Blackpool (England), caused by production of slate gas that entailed a ban on hydraulic fracturing to England. However it is worth remembering also that in 2014 the ban was removed. Nowadays a similar ban works only to South Africa, France and in some states of United States of America. But I consider that to declare interrelation of earthquakes to Romania to that in this country the American companies, using hydraulic fracturing, break crust structure, is premature" — Kapitonov Yvan concluded.
