Late in May the International Energy Agency will publish its rules on the appropriate exploitation of shale gas reserves. Consultations on the rules were held yesterday in Warsaw.
“I hope that, following the release of this code of best practices for the exploitation of shale gas reserves, the states which are now opposed to shale gas exploration and extraction will re-consider their position”, Fatih Birol, Chief Economist at the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA), said yesterday at a press conference.
Last year France was the first state to impose a ban on shale gas exploration and exploitation following demonstrations of environmentalists who insist that the exploitation of shale gas reserves poses a threat to the nature. This year Bulgaria followed into France’s footsteps. “We believe the methods of shale gas exploitation used today represent no threat to the environment”, Wim Thomas of the British/Dutch Shell said yesterday at a press conference. He admitted, though, that people’s apprehensions needed to be treated seriously. This is why the IEA resolved to prepare a document called “golden rules for the golden age of gas”, a code of best practice to be applied by companies involved in the exploitation of shale gas.
Yesterday, representatives of international energy companies, of environment-and-ecology organisations and of governments presented comments on these rules at a special workshop. Mexico, which currently chairs the G-20 group, had been initially considered as the host of the workshop, but ultimately Poland had been chosen and Mario Gabriel, Mexican Undersecretary of Hydrocarbons, flew into Warsaw for the event. In accordance with the “Chatham House” rule the workshop participants were ensured anonymity of opinions, so that they could speak with maximum frankness. Based on the opinions collected in Warsaw the IEA will draft, by the beginning of April, the “golden rules” which will be further consulted prior to their publication.
Owing to the American gas industry’s innovative methods the world can now tap gas trapped in shale zones and reduce its dependence on the conventional gas reserves, a majority of which is held by just several states. “It is owing to shale gas exploitation that in the U.S. 1000 cu.m. of gas costs less than $90; on the other hand, Poland pays its sole import supplier more than $500 for the same amount”, pointed out Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak, without naming Gazprom outright. U.S. energy innovation is a major opportunity also for Poland which, according to experts, has Europe’s largest shale gas reserves. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates these reserves at 5.3 bcm. More precise estimates will be released by the Polish State Geological Institute in two weeks.
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza, 8 March 2012, p. 26, by qub