Drills yes, drills no. Is this really the question referendum ? That day the Italians will be called to vote on the duration of the already authorized concessions, in the stretch of sea within 12 miles from the coast, for the exploration and development of hydrocarbon deposits.
To have initially proposed the use of popular consultation were 10 Regions then dropped to 9, after the renunciation of Abruzzo: Basilicata, Marche, Puglia, Veneto, Calabria, Liguria, Campania and Molise. The referendum advance started with a broader scope: six questions in all, potentially accepted by the Cassation but then "defused" by the 2016 Stability Law which accepted most of the requests made by the Regions and environmentalists. So that only one question remains in the field, the sixth: it specifically concerns the rule which provides that permits and concessions already issued have the "useful life span of the reservoir".
Put like this, the question is difficult to understand. In truth, we will be asked: do you want those fields to be stopped even if there is still gas or oil underneath when the concessions in Italian territorial waters expire? This question brings with it another: do we want the oil companies to close the 106 platforms in our sea when the government concessions expire, without continuing to extract methane or oil if there is still any?
Put in these terms, perhaps, the scope of the referendum becomes less obscure. And one can better understand why the government defends the current provision of the Stability Law, which states that "the concession lasts as long as the field lasts". This means, explained sources at Palazzo Chigi in recent days, "guaranteeing the maintenance of the systems, their environmental impact and also around five thousand jobs". In Ravenna alone, 3 jobs would be at risk, according to the alarm raised by the deputy mayor Giannantonio Mingozzi.
Looking even more in detail, the victory of the yes would end up leading to an increase in oil imports (our dependence from abroad has grown to 91%) as it would block important investments announced to enhance, above all, three already active fields: Guendalina (Eni) in the Middle Adriatic, Gospo (Edison) in front of Abruzzo and Vega (Edison) off the coast of Ragusa. On the other hand, there will be no effects on large fields beyond 12 miles from the coast and should not impact Eni's investments in Sicily.
If, on the other hand, the no wins, the extension of the concessions will not be automatic: the companies will have to ask for the extension of the activity and pass the various authorization levels starting with the much-feared Environmental Impact Assessment. But for all this to happen, the price of oil will first need to return to levels that make costly investments such as those needed to renew and upgrade offshore platforms convenient. It's from a few days ago, Wednesday, there Petroceltic renunciation to his research permit in the Adriatic.
Returning to the initial question: drills yes or drills no? Beware of exploitation, they are not in the interest of the country.
