July is the next consecutive month that saw a decrease in the number of shale gas exploration concessions in Poland. Today, there are 40 active concessions granted to 11 Polish and foreign entities that belong to 10 capital groups. As much as 73 shale gas exploration concessions have been relinquished since 2012.
Five concessions were relinquished last month:
- "Grabowiec" in the Lublin Province, held by Chevron Polska Energy Sp. z o.o.,
- "Lębork", "Karwia", "Damnica" – held by Lane Energy Poland (Pomeranian Province),
- "Czersk", held by San Leon Czersk (Pomeranian Province)
In terms of concessions held, PGNiG is the leader with 11 concessions, followed by Orlen Upstream Sp. z o.o. with 7 of them and Lotos Petrobaltic SA with 7 offshore concessions. New shale gas exploration and/or appraisal concessions were not awarded.
Some of the concessions held by Wident Oil&Gas plc were transferred to Shale Tech Energy Sp. z o.o., a company owned by Stena Investments S.A.R.L. The concessions ("Kętrzyn", "Węgorzewo" and "Gołdap") are located in the Warminsko-Mazurskie Province.
The total area under concessions shrank to 32,700 km2 from 90,000 km2 at the turn of 2012 (10% and 30% of Poland's area, respectively).
By 7 July 2015 concession holders drilled 70 exploratory wells, including 16 directional/horizontal and 54 vertical wells. One well – Wysin-2H at “Stara Kiszewa” concession in the Pomeranian Province – is being drilled by United Oilfield Service for PGNiG. Two shale gas exploration wells have been drilled in 2015 (Pęclin - OU1 and Rawicz 12 SL-1).
It is planned to drill one well (Wysin-3H for PGNiG) in the near future.
In the past years, the progress of shale gas exploration drilling was as follows:
- 2010 - 3 wells,
- 2011 - 12 wells,
- 2012 - 24 wells,
- 2013 - 14 wells,
- 2014 - 15 wells.
Special jobs have been performed in some of the wells to initially assess the shale gas production potential. Hydraulic fracturing was performed in 25 wells (37% of all wells drilled), including 12 horizontal legs. DFIT (Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test) was performed in 9 wells. Special jobs are still to be made in 41 wells. No hydraulic fracture stimulation nor DFIT jobs have been performed in 2015.
In the past years, the number of hydraulic fracture stimulation and DFIT operations was as follows:
- 2010 - 2 wells fracture stimulated and 1 DFIT,
- 2011 - 7 wells fracture stimulated,
- 2012 - 8 wells fracture stimulated and 7 DFIT,
- 2013 - 4 wells fracture stimulated and 1 DFIT,
- 2014 - 4 wells fracture stimulated.
7.07.2015
source: Ministerstwo Środowiska
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