Poland’s gas giant PGNiG SA fears potential EU-wide shale gas regulations following France’s parliament voting to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking of gas and oil could threaten the extraction of shale gas deposits in the country.
It is estimated that Poland is sitting on 5.3 trillion cubic metres of shale gas, which if extracted successfully could greatly lesson its reliance on Russian gas and oil.
But the move in the French parliament on Wednesday, and any similar ban on fracking - currently the main method of extracting shale gas - could threaten Poland’s energy security and independence, says state gas company PGNiG’s Marek Karabula.
"From information that we are getting, a push for EU-wide rules is possible. We strongly believe these matters should be regulated on a national level," he told the Wall Street Journal.
Geologist Jan Krasoń has told Polish Radio that the French ban on shale gas extraction comes from pressure from “environmentalist and atomic sector lobbying and from [Russian gas giant] Gazprom”.
He said that France gets about 80 percent of its energy from nuclear reactors and any competition from other energy sources, such as shale gas are unwelcome.
US and other energy suppliers are lining up to explore Poland’s potentially rich supply of shale gas. Chevron plans to drill its first well later this year. (pg)
Will Brussels end Poland's shale gas dream?
Warsaw Business Journal, 13 May 2011
Poland's shale gas reserves are estimated at 5.3 trillion square meters and could make the country independent from Russian gas for hundreds of years. Gas monopolist PGNiG is even ready to spend zł.100 million on shale gas exploration this year.
However, French deputies' Wednesday decision to ban hydraulic fracturing, a key method used in shale gas extraction, has raised fears that the European Union may create regulations that will put an end on Poland's shale gas dreams.
Maciej Kaliski, head of the department of oil and gas in the Ministry of Economy told Dziennik Gazeta Prawna that Poland will not have many allies, as there are influential groups in Brussels which want to restrict the development of shale gas in Europe.
According to geologist Jan Krason, a strong nuclear lobby and Russian gas supplier Gazprom stand behind the French ban, DGP reports.
"Some 80 percent of energy in France comes from nuclear sources. Shale gas poses competition for their energy sector," he told the newspaper.
Meanwhile, Poland wants shale gas extraction to be a common European project and intends to promote this source of energy during its presidency of the EU. The issue is also to be discussed during president Barack Obama's visit to Poland on May 27.
