Platts: Poland looks to give shale gas sector new boost

The Polish government's decision to prioritize the acceleration of shale gas exploration has been welcomed by operators frustrated at more than two years of regulatory uncertainty.

That uncertainty combined with red tape and disappointing drilling results significantly slowed exploration in 2013. Just 12 wells were completed last year, compared with 24 in 2012.

In November 2013, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk fired his environment minister Marcin Korolec in a cabinet reshuffle saying he was frustrated at the pace of exploration.

Minutes after being sworn in, Korolec's replacement, Maciej Grabowski, said accelerating exploration would be his priority.  MORE