The rate of shale gas exploration is still falling in Poland. As of 1 April 2015, there were 47 active shale gas exploration and/or appraisal concessions awarded to 14 Polish and international concession holders belonging to 13 capital groups. With 11 concessions, PGNiG SA is the leader in terms of concessions held.
Orlen Upstream Sp. z o.o. holds 8 concessions and Lotos Petrobaltic SA 7 of them. All of the latter are offshore concessions.
One concession – "Bytów" held by Indiana Investments Sp. z o.o. (BNK Petroleum Group) – was abandoned last month. The Gapowo B-1 vertical well and its horizontal leg Gapowo B-1A were drilled in that concession. Subsequently, the latter was hydraulically fracture stimulated in July 2014. Nevertheless, as reservoir tests yielded unsatisfactory results the company decided to discontinue its efforts in that location.
There are no new shale gas exploration and/or appraisal concession awarded.
Since 2010, 70 shale gas exploration wells, including 16 directional/horizontal and 54 vertical ones, have been completed in Poland.
The number of wells drilled in particular years best testifies to a decrease in the rate of exploration. This year, only 2 exploratory wells have been completed and none was spud-in by 11 April 2015. For comparison, in the past years the number of wells drilled by 11 April was as follows:
- 2011 - 6 wells completed,
- 2012 - 9 wells completed, 3 in drilling,
- 2013 - 5 wells completed, 3 in drilling,
- 2014 - 8 wells completed, 3 in drilling.
2012 was a record year in terms of wells drilled with 24 of them.
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,
- 2015 - 1 well.
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 in horizontal legs. DFIT (Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test) was performed in 4 wells. Special jobs are still to be made in 41 wells.
In the past years, performed the followed number of hydraulic fracturing and DFIT (Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test):
- 2010 - 2 fracturing and 1 DFIT,
- 2011 - 7 fracturing,
- 2012 - 8 fracturing and 7 DFIT,
- 2013 - 4 fracturing and 1 DFIT,
- 2014 - 4 fracturing,
- 2015 - 0 fracturing (by 28 April)
11.04.2015
source: Ministerstwo Środowiska
abar
