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Poland Shale Gas Exploration Set to Begin U.S. gas companies will begin drilling for shale gas in Poland over the next few weeks and if what they find is promising, the global gas market could begin to change.
Initial geological research shows that Poland may have gas reserves large enough to satisfy its domestic demand for decades. However, until exploration begins, it is impossible to know the extent or viability of those reserves.
Currently Poland is a major importer of gas from Russian company Gazprom. If Poland can satisfy its own demand or even become a net exporter, Gazprom’s reach in Central and Eastern Europe could be significantly reduced.
Dependence on Russian gas has been a concern to Poland because that relationship is subject to manipulation based on Russian political aims.
Poland’s present energy mix is predominantly coal-based, which means that significant gas discoveries could enable the nation to dramatically revise its climate policy. While the real extent of Poland’s gas supplies remains unknown, the chance that they are significant has been enough to attract the attention and participation of U.S. majors Chevron and ExxonMobil. |
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