Oil company told to install instruments to measure tremors

TIRANA, Nov. 25 – Bankers Petroleum will have to install two pieces of equipment to measure and check for tremors occurring in a village in western Albania, following protests.
The decision was made by the energy and industry regulators following complaint of villagers of Zhares, Fier district. They said that Bankers Petroleum caused the tremors with explosions it does regularly during the drilling for oil in the area.
Bankers says it is not to blame.
The ministry held a meeting with the Bankers and the villagers and at the end they decided to install the proper equipment, funded by Bankers, to check whether the tremor is caused by the Bankers or it is a normal natural phenomenon.
Bankers Petroleum is under a concession contract with the Albanian government for oil in the Patos Marinze area, also covering this village.
The data coming out of the seismic equipment will be processed by the Albanian authorities.
The ministry is also checking 669 companies that have taken mines with concession. It is asking them whether they have made the proper investment for the environment protection as set in the contract. All those companies have to also pay the rehabilitation guarantees to the authorities within ten days, according to regulations.
A company headquartered in Canada, but with its main operations in Albania, Banker Petroleum is one of the country’s largest investors.