"Very proud that France is today the first country in the world to ban any new hydrocarbon exploration license now and any exploitation by 2040." On December 19, 2017, in a tweet in the form of a satisfaction, Emmanuel Macron takes action on his decision to end oil and gas drilling in France.
The Minister of Ecology, Nicolas Hulot, is then in charge.
After months of heated debates over shale gas extraction projects using the controversial technique of hydraulic fracturing, which requires the injection of a high-pressure fluid to extract so-called unconventional hydrocarbons, Hulot enshrines in law the prohibition of this practice and promises to "leave in the basement the reserves of hydrocarbons available".
Three years later, the controversy resurfaced.
36 associations and groups of citizens have just written an open letter addressed to the Head of State and to Barbara Pompili to denounce a project to exploit gas from… coal in Moselle.
Mainly made up of methane, this gas is trapped in the heart of the microspores of unexploited coal in the subsoil of coal basins.
"Everywhere in the world where companies have sought to extract gas from the seam, drilling techniques resembled like two drops of water those used to bring up shale gas", explains Maxime Combes, the spokesperson for the 'Attac association which is worried about the current project.
A harmful impact on the water table
It was the French energy company that applied for a concession to exploit a deposit in Moselle.
Contacted, the company did not respond.
But local residents' associations fear that the specter of hydraulic fracturing will resurface in the bowels of their subsoil.
"The objective is to use horizontal and vertical drains which would allow to go one kilometer underground to draw the gas, then to exploit it with potentially 400 wells on the surface," explains Anaëlle Lantonnois, member of the environmental association. locale Appel 57. It is a very invasive technique that can have very harmful impacts on the water table or soil fertility.
"
"The public inquiry, closed in November, mobilized many citizens and local elected officials, who voted almost 85% against this fossil project," said the group of associations.
While the investigating commissioner gave a favorable opinion to the project, opponents of drilling are now turning to the Minister of Ecology to ask her to refuse this operating permit.
When contacted, Barbara Pompili's office is reassuring.
“Regarding environmental impacts, there is no exception
(neither for layer gas nor for mine gas)
allowed by the hydrocarbons law with regard to the use of hydraulic fracturing: this is indeed prohibited regardless of the hydrocarbon used.
"
"The weaknesses of the Hulot law"
If the regional directorate of the environment and the prefect will soon give their opinion on this project to the minister, Barbara Pompili reminds the Française de l'énergie that she must in any case "draw up a report to justify that it does not 'does not use hydraulic fracturing, but only conventional techniques ”.
As for the exploitation request submitted by the gas company to the public authorities, the company is apparently… in the nails.
"Any exploration permit obtained before the law is adopted almost automatically gives the right to obtain a concession," sighs Maxime Combes.
Which is the proof of the weaknesses of the Hulot law.
"
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In the case of the Moselle, the Ministry of Ecology confirms that the application for a concession from the Française de l'énergie “followed an exclusive research permit which was granted in 2004. That is 13 years before the hydrocarbons law.
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