Poland approves 40 shale exploration licenses
Poland's chief geologist Henryk Jezierski said he has recently approved more than 40 exploration licenses for companies - including Chevron, ExxonMobil and Marathon Oil - interested in seeking shale and other sources of natural gas.
The push for Poland to explore for gas may help the country ease off of their reliance on gas imports, primarily from Russia, which currently account for 75% of the country’s annual consumption
"Increasing domestic extraction levels is a key element of our drive for diversification," Reuters quoted Jezierski as telling a seminar. "We cannot say now how much unconventional gas there is in Poland. I can only quote research by US consulting agencies estimating these deposits at 1.5 to 3 trillion cubic meters."
Drilling for Polish gas deposits require expensive and advanced technologies, as they are at two to three km depths
Warsaw estimates gas demand would grow to around 20 billion cubic meters by 2030 while Poland's gas monopoly PGNiG puts the figure at 22 billion. Domestic gas deposits are estimated at around 98 billion cubic meters.
Poland faces an annual shortfall of 2.5 billion cubic metres in gas deliveries because its previous contract with Russia's giant Gazprom expired in 2009 and talks between the Polish and Russian gas monopolists are unresolved.
In addition, extremely cold weather this winter has pushed up gas usage, leaving Poland's reserves at half capacity.
01/27/2010