Poland Updates Shale Gas Exploratory Well Count

The Polish government has updated the country's count of shale gas exploratory wells to 42 wells completed, 11 fractured.

According to the Ministry of Environment, drilling of two further wells is under way at the moment, by Chevron and PKN Orlen, both located in Lubelskie.

Concession requirements oblige holders to drill at least 309 wells before 2021.

A small number of full tests has been carried out with no more than three multi-staged stimulations in horizontal wells have been performed.

At the same time, the press still speculate on alleged plans of reducing or ceasing operations in Poland by several foreign companies.

Speculations are fuelled by the move of ExxonMobil, which returned or sold five out of six of its Polish concessions last year. According to unconfirmed reports, Talisman is also considering a similar decision.

At the same time, as noted by Polish press and confirmed by the Ministry, Vabush Energy, controlled by San Leon, after drilling two wells in 2011, is now willing to give up its Nida concession in Swietkorzyskie.

However, according to the company, the Chopin-1 and Belvedere-1 wells were considered “low-cost conventional exploration” as total costs did not exceed €1.5 million.  Both were drilled to a total depth of less than one kilometre. 

The company admitted results were disappointing. Swietokrzyskie is situated in the most promising shale gas belt and local press, reporting on the works by Vabush last year, quoted drillers as saying to villagers: “What we find here is nothing else than water.”