“An environmental disaster. » This Monday, the Paris town hall denounced, in a press release, a new oil drilling project, authorized by the State, in Seine-et-Marne, which according to it would “threaten” the water catchments of its authority.
This is a project reported by Release which worries elected officials. According to information from the daily, the government has discreetly given the green light to the extension of an oil site in the Lunain valley, the implementation of which would threaten the drinking water supply of many Ile-de-France residents.
Two discreet authorizations from the government
The company Bridge Energies, holder of a concession to exploit the current deposit until 2034, already operates three wells, opened between 2012 and 2014. This Nonville concession (77), which currently extends over 10 km2, could see its surface area increased to 53 km2 thanks to a decree signed by Élisabeth Borne, then Prime Minister, in December 2023.
On January 30, by way of a decree, the prefecture of Seine-et-Marne approved “the opening of mining works” intended for the drilling of two new wells on the current platform, in Villemer and Villeron (77) . An authorization contested by the surrounding municipalities which have mobilized on several occasions against this project.
Drilling that threatens the water table
Problem is, this extension would take place on a territory housing several protected natural sites, including a water table particularly vulnerable to pollution, and which lists drinking water collection points essential to 180,000 Ile-de-France residents, the vast majority of whom are Parisians. This same water table would be crossed by the two new drilling wells authorized by the prefecture.
The capital’s operator, Eau de Paris, has filed an application with the Melun administrative court to suspend the prefectural decree of January 30 authorizing the opening of work on the Nonville hydrocarbon concession, 80 km to the south. -east of the capital.
Accidents already in 2013 and 2022
In its request, Eau de Paris considers that the extension of the existing drilling site compromises “the security of the drinking water supply to the city of Paris”, but also “biodiversity” and “the fight against climate change”. . According to Dan Lert, deputy for ecological transition and president of Eau de Paris, the government is “playing with fire”.
According to Release, Eau de Paris says it is all the more worried as the concessionaire has already experienced two incidents since its arrival. A first in 2013, when a truck accidentally spilled part of its tank onto the small roads of the roadway. A second in 2022 when water at 68°C filled with hydrocarbons spilled onto the platform.
According to the town hall, like the oil producing company Bridge Energies, the decision of the Melun administrative court should be known in the coming days.
