Montenegro in search of oil

The report on oil and gas research under Montenegro's sea is central to the opinion, as the Montenegrin government has been warned that on March 25th, the drilling of the first search well, located about 28km from the sea coast south of Montenegro, to sea waters between Tivar and Ulcinj, will begin. By the end of 2021, it will become known whether there are deposits of hydrocarbons in this location.

The second researchers will be closer to shore, about 18 miles away. It will be shallower and no deeper than a mile and a half.

So far, Montenegro has concluded two contracts for oil and gas research and production. The first contract was signed in 2016, with the Italian-Russian company “Eni and Novatech”, for four blocks of research, for a period of seven years, meanwhile, another contract was closed a year later with the Greek company “Energean”, for two research blocks, with the same deadline for research.

The civic movement “Ura” (Litan Abazovich) will launch the initiative for announcing the referendum on oil and gas exploration in Montenegro, deputy and citizen initiative deputy head “Ura”, Milos Konatar, has announced.

From the Ministry of Ecology, Space Planning and Urbanism, they ensure that they will monitor all environmental parameters related to the state of the marine ecosystem, as well as that after the first sign of its decay, they will act.

Not only because of the preservation of the Montenegrin coast, but also because of neighbouring Croatia. Any eventual flow of oil, gas or whatever, for about 20 kilometers from our coast, could affect neighbouring Croatia, due to sea currents heading towards it”, ECA Secretary of the Ministry of Ecology Danilo Mrdak told Radio Free Europe.

Although government ensures that preserving the environment is primary, ecologists and the local community strongly oppose the idea.

Without dilemma, citizens are unique to this issue. They didn't expect this from the government. Those activities are not good and present great defeat for society and conversion to barbarism. Such projects only tear down and degrade this country's constitutional orientation and tear down the pillar, in which the government currently stands”, Canka said.

Work on oil research under Montenegro's sea was contracted by the government led by the Democratic Party of Socialists, which was changed after last August 30th elections. Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapiq's new government has been elected early in December. Capital Investment Minister Mladan Bojanic, at a news conference on March 12th this year, has said he will continue all preliminary government projects, which are deemed good.

For ecological activist from Ulcini, Mustafa Cank, explosive offshore drilling is equal to “the suicide”.

This is a crazy enterprise that leaves desertion on the sea and on the coast, while at the same time endangers our existence in this space. It is imperative that the project be suspended as soon as possible, especially in this situation, when there is enough oil on the world market and is being passed on to green energy. Persisting on this is crazy and suicidal”, Canka said.

He disagrees with the optimism of Minister Bojanic, who has said that Montenegro will benefit from this important benefit job and that it will be one of the key things that will make Montenegro not only dependent on tourism and services.

In the best version, if oil is available, we'll benefit 70 million a year, and in good seasons we've made one billion. It is crazy to question economics and ecology”, Canka said.

However, under the agreement between the Montenegrin state and foreign concessions, if the existence of oil and gas under the Black Sea is determined, the revenues that will belong to this state will be between 62 and 68 percent.

This money will not flow directly into the budget, but will be preserved for future generations through a special fund for which the law is ongoing, according to the Norwegian model, which is the richest in the world.

Nongovernmental ecological organisations are surprised at warnings from the Government of Montenegro that the oil well drilling on the Montenegrin coast should begin in 15 days. They repeat that oil extraction is by no means in line with Montenegro's constitutional status as an ecological and emerging state of tourism.

Zenepa Lika from Ulcinqi, a live environment activist, tells Radio Free Europe that this project is out of harmony with the ecological state.

I am aware that we have to make the economy varied, but not at the expense of a resource that is limited. We don't have enough shores, the sea is closed, Croatia has put in tratorium for oil, as is Italy reviewing that process. The European Union has taken on its obligation to be neutral with regard to the climate by 2050, and we have already found it searching for oil, which Europe does not accept”, Lika points out.

The facility, which will carry out its first drilling under the Montenegrin Sea, Topaz Driller, arrived on March 13th, following Malta's five-day trip, where final preparations for future drilling have been carried out.

The crew, which arrived earlier, were quarantined in Podgorica due to the epidemiological situation, so that it would be ready to board Topaz Driller on time.

Inspection at this phase of work is conducted by independent audit company “ADC”, based in Aberdeen, United Kingdom, which has 30-year experience in inspections of drilling equipment, Montenegro's Hydrocarbon Administration announced.

The equipment needed for drilling is located at Tivar port.