Chevron
American corporation Chevron has the rights to extract shale gas from a combined area of 870,000 hectares[4] around Bârlad, as well as from several areas in Dobruja (Adamclisi, Vama Veche and Costinești), under 30-year contracts that can be extended for another 15 years.[5]

The gas extraction rights for the Bârlad area were sold by Frank Timiș's Regal Petroleum to Chevron in 2010 for $25 million.[4] Chevron was given in January 2013 the permission for exploration of shale gas in Bârlad and a few months later, in May 2013, it was also given permission for the exploration of the gas fields along the southern Romanian Black Sea coast.[2] The royalties given to the Romanian state are between 3.5% and 13%, depending on the sizes of the deposits.[5]

The exploratory drillings were supposed to start in October 2013 in Pungești, Vaslui County, however, following protests both in the village and in Bucharest, Chevron decided to suspend its activities.[6] The Pungești local council announced the organization of a non-binding local referendum on the issue.[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shale_gas_in_Romania