Shale gas development poses minimal environmental risks - Proskuriakov

KYIV, May 13 /UKRINFORM/. Environmental risks associated with the development of shale gas in Ukraine will be minimized, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Oleh Proskuriakov told UKRINFORM.

"I can assure the residents of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions that the environmental risks associated with shale gas development will be minimized," the minister said.

He said the government will not allow any harm to environment of the regions where it is planned to organize the production of shale gas. "The environment ministry tightly controls the geological stage of shale gas development and will do everything possible to reduce environmental risks to zero. I must note that the rules of Ukrainian legislation regarding investors' meeting environmental standards are much stricter than in Europe," Proskuriakov said.

He noted that, before embarking on the development and production of shale gas, several examinations will be conducted: governmental (organized by the ministry of environment), public and, if necessary, international.

"But at this stage only the signing of production sharing agreements is concerned, and signing of a contract cannot spoil water or land, which is categorically stated by some politicians and public figures. There's more politics than ecology," the minister said.

According to him, those who oppose shale gas development deliberately manipulate public opinion for the sake of promotion and economic benefit.