As of February 29, 2016, there were 31 active hydrocarbons, including shale gas, exploration and/or appraisal concessions in Poland awarded to 9 Polish and foreign concession holders.
One concession – "Słupsk" held by Saponis Investments Sp. z o.o. (BNK Poland Holdings B.V. Capital Group) – has been relinquished in the past month. The company withdrew from Poland after drilling 6 wells and performing 2 fracturing operations.
Comparing to the record year of 2012 with 15 active concessions, 84 shale gas exploration have been relinquished so far.
Currently, there are three leaders in terms of shale gas exploration concessions held: Orlen Upstream Sp. z o.o., Shale Tech Energy Sp. z o.o. and LOTOS Petrobaltic (seven concessions each, the latter holds solely offshore concessions). PGNiG SA holds 4 unconventional oil and gas exploration concessions.
The total area under shale gas exploration concessions is equal to 24,290 km2, or 7.8% of Poland's area. In 2012-2013, the concessions covered almost 90,000 km2 (almost 30% of Poland's area).
By 29 February 2016, concession holders have drilled 72 exploratory wells, including 18 directional/horizontal wells and 54 vertical ones. The last well – Wysin – 3H at the Stara Kiszewa Concession (Pomeranian Province) – was completed for PGNiG in December 2015. The well is to be hydraulic fracture stimulated in 2016.
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 - 4 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 (35% of all wells drilled), including 12 horizontal legs. DFIT (Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test) was performed in 9 wells. No hydraulic fracture stimulation nor DFIT tests have been performed in 2015.
In the past years, the number of hydraulic fracture stimulation and DFIT tests made was as follows:
- 2010 - 2 hydraulically fracture stimulated wells and 1 DFIT tested well,
- 2011 - 7 hydraulically fracture stimulated wells,
- 2012 - 8 hydraulically fracture stimulated wells and 7 DFIT tested wells,
- 2013 - 4 hydraulically fracture stimulated wells and 1 DFIT tested well,
- 2014 - 4 hydraulically fracture stimulated wells,
- 2015 - 0 hydraulically fracture stimulated wells.
source: lupki.mos.gov.pl
7.03.2016
