| 00:02
00:20 | NARRATOR | NARRATION In the south of Argentina lies one of the biggest untapped energy reserves on the planet. And now, Shell is investing 365 million euros to explore these Shale and Gas resources. Three times last years investment. Three of Shell's eleven Patagonian drilling sites lie in a protected nature reserve. The extraction technique is highly controversial with critics claiming it endangers local ecosystems and inhabitants. |
| 00:35 | GRANDMOTHER FLORES | Shell's got a drilling well here, and a bit further another two. My children tell me that these wells lie open and unprotected. Animals can just fall into it. |
| 00:54 | NARRATOR | NARRATION The Flores Family farm is in the middle of several of Shell's drilling wells. They rely on their cattle for their livelihood, and have a simple existence. But the arrival of Shell has changed their lives dramatically. |
| 01:07 | GRANDMOTHER FLORES
| Oh dear, there has been so much damage caused. They took large amounts of plants when they put up the road and the well. Also, there's been leakage from their waste water reservoir. |
| 01:23 | Maria FLORES | Shell is the concession holder in this area. There are sub-contracters, but they all work for Shell.
They made a water well for us so we can drink fresh water. They promised to check the water quality every month.
But they did this only once or twice, and now they haven't been for a year.
So we don't know of it's safe enough to drink.
In the beginning they told us it was all safe, but now we don't know if that's still the case. |
| 01:34 | NARRATOR | NARRATION Resistance against the drilling is growing. There are now several groups protesting against the shale gas exploitation. María Cabrera is a member of the protest movement who's been conducting research into Shell's shale gas operations. |
| 01:49
02:05
02:16
02:30
02:37
02:41
| NARRATOR
MARÍA CABRERA Titel: activist
MARÍA
MARÍA
| Maria, is this a Shell drilling site?
This is a Shell drilling well they just put into the ground. The smell is really bad.
This is crude oil.
And this is how Shell works.
Shell drills the well and tear everything down. The effected area is enormous.
And then we haven't mentioned the pollution. All chemicals are evaporating into the air.
And over there, some families live. Ah, look.
A dead bird. The Flores family told us that their animals graze and drink water here.
They drink the water and the family just doesn't know it's contaminated. |
| 02:50 | NARRATOR | NARRATION Hazardous waste, produced at the drilling sites, is handled in the provincial capital, Neuquén. |
| 02:56
03:01 | MARÍA | This is one of Neuquén's slums.
COMARSA is a waste processing centre. All big energy companies like Shell and Total take their waste there. They also take care of the ground and the waste water. |
| 03:24 | NARRATOR | NARRATION On to the protected nature reserve Auca Mahuida, where there are three Shell wells. Sergio is the park's ranger. SERGIO Here we see the old lair of one of the armadillos living in our park. We see that it's been crushed by the trucks of the oil companies |
| 03:54 | NARRATOR | NARRATION Sergio, along with only one co-worker, manages an area bigger than 77.000 acres.
Unfortunately for Sergio, he has no say over Shell's drilling operation. |
| 04:08 | SERGIO Park Warden | Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is file a report about the contamination. My bosses often have political interests at stake so the protection of the environment doesn't matter to them much. It seems like the issues of energy companies like Shell are more important to them. |
| 04:27 | NARRATOR | NARRATION One of Shell's main competitor's in Patagonia is state company YPF. They're currently a step ahead of Shell - something the indegenous Mapuche Indians will attest to. |
| 04:38 | ALBINO CAMPO Titel: MAPUCHE CHIEF | Since the beginning of this year they have drilled on 6 sites. These wells are already operational. |
| 04:49 |
| I'm battling for my children, grand children and great grand children. What will we leave behind for our youth? |
| 05:01 | NARRATOR | NARRATION The Chief has taken to routinely checking the drilling rigs operating on his land. |
| 05:11
05:21 | ALBINO CAMPO | Three days ago I caught you together with the manager while you were cleaning the tower, and now you're doing it again!
Tomorrow I'll report this and I'll take the footage with me. |
| 05:28
05:47
| ALBINO CAMPO
REPORTER
ALBINO CAMPO | It is highly prohibited to clean the towers with water because it contaminates the ground.
Look, this is all contaminated.
All is a result of cleaning the drilling tower.
Does this happen a lot?
Every day this happens. |
| 05:57
06:20 | NARRATION | NARRATION The shale reserves of Patagonia have the potential to make Argentina oil and gas independent, but at what cost?
For big companies like Shell this is an exciting new frontier. But for people like the Mapuches and the Flores family, it's simply their home. END |