In favour of the responsible development of the gas sector and keeping the public and environment safe
Homeland Guards, an organisation consisting of tens of thousands of activists, as well as supporting organisations, councils and municipalities, are all in favour of the development of the Israeli gas sector in a responsible manner, which takes into account the public interest, its well-being, health, and security.
The transition of the economy to the use of gas is a correct and desirable move for a number of reasons. Natural gas is a cleaner, less polluting form of energy than oil and coal. The natural gas reservoirs can contribute to the Israeli economy and can help reduce the cost of electricity – with the correct and responsible management of the gas industry.
The problem lies in the production process of the gas which is an extremely polluting process, holding many dangers, relating to health, safety, and security. When the Ministry of Energy and the gas barons advertise ‘clean gas’, they deliberately ignore the refinement process of the gas, which takes place on the gas platform. This process is required in order to transform the crude gas into ‘dry gas’ intended for use.
Gas platform: a polluting petrochemical plant
A gas platform is basically a petrochemical plant, a refinery in all senses of the word. The amount of pollution emitted from the platform depends on the amount of gas handled, the composition of the raw gas, and the manner in which it is treated. At any rate, it is a process that emits into the environment by-products in very high quantities, many of which are known to be carcinogens and dangerous substances such as heavy metals, petrol hydrocarbons, and more. And all this refers to regular production.
In the event of a malfunction, it could be a catastrophe on an international scale, a disaster that might devastate the shores of Israel for generations to come and harm the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of adults and children in Israel.
In Israel today there is one functional gas platform: the Tamar platform, which is located about 22 km off the shores of Ashkelon. The emission levels, according to the data provided by the operator Noble Energy are more than 30 times higher than the estimation given by the partners in the reservoir. The same partners and operator plan to build another platform: the Leviathan platform, at a distance of only 10 km from Dor Beach in the north of the country. The Leviathan platform is planned to process double the amount of gas that the Tamar platform processes, and is meant to be built early next year. In the future, a large number of platforms is planned to be constructed along the entire coast of the country.
