Oil and gas areas off Usedom: Environment Minister warns of catastrophe!

Oil and gas areas off Usedom: Environment Minister warns of catastrophe!

Today you could almost think that the Baltic Sea is the new hotspot for oil and gas discoveries. Monstrous deposits were discovered off the Polish coast, visible from Ahlbeck - and that is causing a lot of excitement, especially in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) has reported an estimated 200 million barrels of oil equivalent in the Wolin East production area, just six kilometers from Swinoujscie. This could cover up to five percent of Poland's annual oil needs, which translates into a value of around 28 billion euros, given the current oil price of around 70 euros per barrel. But not everyone sees this as a reason to be happy.

Political concerns and environmental issues

Environment Minister Till Backhaus from Schwerin is anything but enthusiastic. He sees the plans for oil and gas production as backwards in terms of climate policy. “We have enormous concerns here, especially considering the possible consequences for nature and tourism,” emphasizes Backhaus. There are already initial indications of noise and vibration pollution that could occur during exploratory drilling. How do the ministers want to approach the matter? “A clear stance from the federal government is necessary,” demands Backhaus. After all, the test drillings were carried out in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania last year without official information - this contradicts an agreement on cross-border environmental impact assessments between Germany and Poland.

The mayor of Heringsdorf, Laura Isabelle Marisken, is particularly concerned about the potential damage to nature, water and the climate. A citizens' initiative is already fighting against the project, which many believe does not sufficiently take environmental concerns into account. This could result in a lengthy legal dispute, as environmental associations also oppose such projects.

The situation on site

The discovery of the drilling rig caused a stir in Heringsdorf. The local authorities were not informed about the project, which caused further discontent. With a drilling depth of 2,715 meters in an area with only ten meters of water, the concerns of the residents are well known. “We don’t want irreversible destruction of our nature,” emphasizes the mayor.

Rolf G. Skaar of CEP described the find as a “historic moment” for Poland’s energy sector. But many do not feel attracted to this euphoria. The capacities could be mobilized in three to four years, which is attracting attention from some citizens and environmental associations. If one sues against these measures, there could be further twists in this story.

Insights into other conflicts

Let's look at similar conflicts around the world: There is another, also controversial, oil and gas conflict in the Okavango Delta in Namibia. Here too, environmental protection and local livelihoods are at stake. Deutsche Umwelthilfe and other organizations are calling for a moratorium on these projects and insisting on transparent environmental impact assessments - headlines that point to similar challenges in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. While one part of the world is interested in economic gains, another part is fighting for the preservation of nature.

In this sense, the discussions about oil and gas production off the coast of Usedom are only at the beginning and the next steps are being negotiated at the political table. Only time can tell whether the arguments of environmentalists and concerned citizens will be heard or whether economic interests will ultimately prevail.

For more detailed information that sheds light on the background, you can find the reports from here Stern.de and NDR.