The mining company has already invested 18 million euros into research and plans to spend another 4.5 million euros on exploratory wells. Residents of affected villages in north-east of Slovakia have organised a protest against these activities.
The mining company Alpine Oil and Gas, Ltd. (AOG) is starting exploratory wells in three villages in north-east of Slovakia to observe the presence and potential of the natural crude oil or gas fields. The inhabitants of the affected villages disagree and start protesting. More than a hundred of residents and activists attended the protest held in Presov on Tuesday. The company plans to carry out three wells to the depth of 1,200 -1,500 meters in the villages of Smilno (Bardejov district), Kriva Olka (Medzilaborce district) and Ruska Poruba (Humenne district). The company plans to invest approximately 4.5 million euros into these wells this year. „The first well is expected to begin already during the following weeks. The drilling of other wells will follow, since the same drilling rig will be used,“ president of the company AOG, Michael P. Lewis informed at the press conference.
Full story in Slovak: Na východe začnú s prieskumnými vrtmi. Protesty nepomohli.