If the state seems determined to bury the projects to exploit gas and oil shale, it is not the same industry. Total and after the oil is now up to CEO of GDF Suez, Gerard Mestrallet, to speak on the subject. Voices in the columns, the leader regretted that "France turns the page on shale gas before opening it."
The government has indeed done an about-face on the subject. Faced with a growing mobilization against the exploitation of these deposits to potentially harmful to the environment, the prime minister on Wednesday urged the cancellation of the exploration license. In March 2010, Jean-Louis Borloo, Minister of Ecology, had authorized the search of these gases "unconventional" in the basement French Three licenses were awarded, one in Total and two other group Texas Schuepbach associated with GDF Suez.
Impact on prices
It is not certain that there are industrial. They surf on rising fuel prices to justify further research in this area. The CEO of GDF Suez and in Les Echos argues that "France will freeze gas prices on one side and the other refuses to produce shale gas. I recall that if natural gas is cheap in the U.S., thanks to unconventional gas. "
Same story at Total. In a recent interview in Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, oil group's CEO, Christophe de Margerie said that gasoline prices will continue to blaze to 2 euros lellitre super and that this development necessitates the search other energy sources.It specifically targets the shale gas, "We can not defend one side of the security of supply in France, and the other, prohibit the exploration of these famous shale gas. How can we make a final decision without even knowing if this gas is present in the French soil and if it is usable? "
"An operation" clean "is possible"
Similarly, Gerard Mestrallet advocates a continuation of research, also on methods of extracting these gases. "To conclude that we will never be able to develop clean technologies to exploit shale gas, there is not as scientific as I would not cross," said the officer saving account payday loan. Total goes further. Courmes Bruno, director of Total Shale Gas in Europe, the Group subsidiary dedicated to oil shale gas, is "sure to offer a holding" clean "of shale gas."
Cleaner technology and less controversial, would bring the Prime Minister, currently opposed to the exploitation of shale gas, to review its position: "There is no question of closing the door to technological advances that allow for future access to new energy resources ", has underlined Francois Fillon during his speech in favor of cancellation of licenses already granted. A scientific research mission on the possibilities of exploiting these deposits with other technologies is ongoing.
No credible alternative for the moment
Except that it may take time. Asked by lefigaro.fr, Total acknowledges that, at present, there is no alternative to the hydraulic fracturing technique implemented by the Texas Haliburton. An efficient method known but the effects are harmful to the environment.This method aims to create small earthquakes over 2000 meters before injecting large amounts of water and chemicals to extract the fuel. The film Gasland shock, the Oscar-nominated 2011 – which had a significant effect on protest movements – really demonstrates what can be the impact on drinking water, air quality and public health of this method extraction.
Cap on foreign
And France, a "National Day of Action" against the shale gas to take place this weekend. It might then be that manufacturers are turning abroad. Total has also finalized an agreement with CNPC-PetroChina to operate an unconventional gas field in Inner Mongolia and the group has two exploration permits for shale gas in Denmark and six in Argentina.Remains whether the environmental impact of the same technique is different from one country to another.
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