The General Directorate for Environmental Protection published the results of the research project entitled “Assessment of hazards to the environment resulting from the exploration, appraisal and exploitation of unconventional deposits of hydrocarbons” prepared for the Ministry of the Environment. The research was conducted, among others, in Syczyn, where ORLEN Upstream Company performed two exploratory wells and hydraulic fracturing (Wierzbica license). The report of the General Directorate for Environmental Protection confirms that the activity related to exploration and appraisal of shale gas does not affect the environment.
The well in Syczyn was one of seven research fields covered by the assessment located on the territory of Lubelskie and Pomorskie province. Paying special attention to transparency of operations being carried out, ORLEN Upstream Company participated in the research project on a voluntary basis. The object of the works was the analysis concerning the condition of particular elements of the environment on each stage of the process: starting from the beginning, then drilling of vertical and horizontal well, hydraulic fracturing, until the well abandonment and field reclamation. Cross country environmental research within the project was carried out between 2011 and 2014 with the participation of more than 60 experts and specialists from research institutes and universities, including: Polish Geological Institute – PIB, AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Gdańsk University of Technology and Central Mining Institute in Katowice.
Among others, the condition of underground and surface water and soil, noise level, level of concentration of gas contaminants and dust in the air, as well as the scale of seismic vibrations during stimulation works, were subject to the analysis. Also, exploratory waste, including fracking fluid and flow-back water were subject to the analysis, with regard to toxicological assessment and chemical composition. The important element of the project was the analysis of the environment’s condition directly after the hydraulic fracking procedure and after 2 years following the completion works.
The report prepared by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection summarizes the first project concerning the assessment of the impact of exploration and appraisal of oil and gas deposits with the use of hydraulic fracturing on the environment, performed on such a scale in both, Poland, and Europe. Its results confirm unambiguously lack of significant, negative impact of the particular stages of this process on the elements of the environment which were subject to the analysis. Therefore, it was proved that the activity of the companies from upstream sector, carried out with the observance of all safety standards, as well as provisions of law and good practices, is safe for people and their environment. The basic issue within this scope is good local reconnaissance and knowledge and expertness of operators performing exploration and appraisal works.
The content of the report may be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of the Environment: