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CHAPTER TWO
Developments of Energy Resourrces
activity (i.e. earthquakes) in the surrounding area. Exploratory
fracturing has been suspended in the UK since May 2011 after a
small seismic tremor was detected near the country’s only fracturing
operation in the Bowland Basin, northern England. The British
Geological Society recently reported that the area around Blackpool
may hold as much as 300 trillion cubic feet of gas, at least 50% more
than was previously thought. The secretary announced that shale gas
represents a promising new potential energy resource for the UK
and could contribute significantly to the nation’s energy security and
reducing its reliance on imported gas
i
.
Poland
assured it will begin commercial production of natural
gas from shale rock deposits in late 2014 or early 2015, days after a
local institute said Poland had less shale gas than previously thought.
Poland’s National Geological Institute earlier said it estimated the
country’s recoverable reserves of shale gas at between 12.8 and 27
trillion cubic feet. A number that is much lower than earlier estimates
by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which said the
reserves could reach 205 trillion cubic feet. Poland’sTreasuryminister
commented that it had been based on archival samples extracted
between 1950 and 1990, and that Poland’s shale gas sector needed
to drill more test wells in order to determine with more precision the
country’s actual shale gas and oil reserves.
Previously, PKN Orlen SA, announced that it will increase its
planned investments in shale gas exploration and production by
several- folds.
The company had planned to spend about $222 million over five
years on unconventional gas exploration in Poland. Poland
’
s shale gas
i
Oil and Gas Financial Journal, 13/12/2012
