Life in the Black Sea is at risk, Greenpeace Romania claims, citing that OMV Petrom and Romgaz have announced the start of deep fossil gas development in Romania’s territorial waters.

“This decision is catastrophic for biodiversity, the environment and the coast of Romania, as dozens of similar works have shown, the NGO reports.

“The pressure that the Neptun Deep project will have on marine habitats adds to the environmental problems already facing the Black Sea. Scientific projects and cooperation programs in the Black Sea, such as EMBLAS, Connect Black Sea and MISIS Black Sea Marine Atlas, have shown that toxic pollution and microplastics, overfishing and invasive species are the main challenges for life in the Black Sea for life in the Black Sea Black,” notes Greenpeace.

• “Furthermore, the Russian invasion of Ukraine poses a serious threat to the marine environment due to war damage, sea mine explosions, increased exposure to noise pollution, oil spills and other destruction caused by the conflict. Reports of Black Sea dolphin extirpation and southward migration show a much greater impact on the marine environment than first thought. In addition, the recent destruction of the Kakhovskaya Dam exposes the Black Sea to a new environmental disaster.”

“Offshore gas operations have devastating and irreversible consequences for the marine and coastal environment, and have a significant negative impact on local communities and tourists along the Romanian coast,” says Alin Tenase, Greenpeace Romania Campaign Coordinator.

According to the quoted source, the proposed site for the construction of the Neptun Deep surface facilities is located in the south of the Tuzla commune, Constanta county, in the immediate vicinity of the tourist resort of Kostinesti, where the nearest houses are located. approximately 100 meters from the boundary of the zone, which is intended for the installation of the pipeline.

• “On the other hand, the Neptun Deep perimeter development area is located in the western part of the Black Sea, in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Romania, 160 kilometers from the onshore facilities. The marine infrastructure crosses several different and unique geomorphological units, including the Black Sea coast, shelf and continental slope.”

• “The project crosses two Natura 2000 protected areas located in the Black Sea coastal zone. They are represented by the Natura 2000 area in the Black Sea (ROSPA 0076), which will be crossed by the pipeline route with a length of approximately 2.5 km, as well as by the Natura 2000 marine area at Cape Tuzla (ROSCI 0273), also under the pipeline route with a length of approximately 600 m. .

• Plans for the construction of the tunnel and pipeline near the coast will involve the use of vessels anchored within Natura 2000 nature conservation areas, with negative impacts related to damage to hard substrate (reef) habitats.

“If the Black Sea had a voice, it would say that it cannot take any more blows. Offshore gas exploitation endangers – without climatic, ecological or even economic justification – the ecosystem that is representative of Romania and part of the coast,” says Tenase.

According to documents provided by OMV Petrom to the Constanta Environmental Protection Agency, which Greenpeace refers to in order to obtain an environmental agreement, the negative impact on marine habitats is presented:

• Disturbance to fish and marine mammals due to noise and vibration arising from offshore excavation, offshore installation and construction activities, offshore well drilling and the use of support vessels;

• Disturbance and loss of habitats and associated species due to construction activities, represented by excavations in the coastal zone, laying of pipelines on the seabed, installation of mining platforms, installation of underwater mining equipment, use of anchors, etc.;

• Violation of breeding and grazing places of fish;

• Impact on some areas of hard substrate habitat (reefs) as a result of the use of anchors to maintain the fixed position of a barge involved in the installation of a pipeline for an underwater tunnel through a beach;

• Disturbance of mammals and seabirds due to the presence of the mining platform;

• Disruption of organisms and habitats in case of accidental pollution by hydrocarbons or other chemical substances released into the sea.