Algarve coast gas exploration to start in October

The chairman of one of the energy companies due to start prospecting for natural gas off the Algarve coast has said exploration is set to begin in October.

in Algarve · 18 Apr 2016, 08:29 · 1 Comments

According to Partex, who will work alongside Repsol, drilling will start in early autumn between 40 to 50 kilometres off the coastline, directly in line with Faro.

The contract to seek natural mineral resources off the Algarve coastline was first presented in 2001, but was only signed five years ago.

The Algarve Municipal Association AMAL has meanwhile said it is seeking legal advice in a bid to stop drilling from taking place off the region’s coastline.

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Comments

If drilling goes ahead it will open a Pandora's box on the Algarve. The exploration alone is known to decimate fish populations; especially marine mammals, whose ability to eco-locate is damaged by the percussive explosions employed to find gas and oil deposits. The checmicals used to extract natural gas are highly toxic and will undoubtedly get into the waters off and onshore. And don't even get me started on what can happen when they begin drilling for oil. I should know...I live on the Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida! Remember the BP oil spill?

These mega-corporations are run by people whose only concern is profit, and who don't care one iota for the environment...in spite of what they might tell you. There are no foolproof safeguards. Offshore drilling has the pitential to be catastrophic for the Algarve on so many levels that everyone should be up in arms about it. The time to act is now - whether you are Portuguese or foreigner - and let the elected officials know that you are against gas and oil exploration now and into the future. It has no place in a region that is so fundamentally dependent upon, and inextricably tied to, tourism.

By Tina Steele from USA on 19 Apr 2016, 00:36