"Shale gas revolution" call a number of the economic measures undertaken since 2012 by several countries for implementation of technology of extraction of slate gas. An attempt to become the major "gas" power was made also by Poland.
As "shale gas revolution" began
In 2012 during the meeting of EU member states the issue of extraction of slate gas and a possibility of implementation of this technology in the countries suffering a shortage of gas resources was discussed. Among them – Ukraine and Poland. Representatives of Poland said that in the depths of the territory of the state there are trillions of cubic meters of slate gas thanks to which the country can fill the need for fuel raw materials for 200 years ahead. From this point the period of political promises and economic forecasts which designated a fast exit of Poland in the leading countries on production of gas resources began. Media called this fever "shale gas revolution".
In Poland, active search works started. "The slate belt" was stretched from the Baltic coast in Gdansk to southeast areas of the country, having covered about 12 percent of the total area. The Polish and foreign investors were given 111 concessions on conducting investigation of fields. In 2013 the representatives of the ministry of environmental protection said that in the country 43 trial wells which number by 2021 will reach 309 are drilled. According to forecasts, at least 150 of them had to become large-scale deposits of slate breeds.
Results of "shale gas revolution"
By the beginning of 2014 of a dream of "a gas boom" in Poland practically came to naught. The cause is there were miscalculations of analysts and too loud promises of the government in the press and also negotiations with the western countries. Also the role in gradual turning of "slate" policy there were constant discussions within the European Union about the norms regulating extraction of slate gas. As it became clear, some of the technologies applied for this purpose do harm to the environment and have to be forbidden. There were also opponents of "shale gas revolution" among whom there are France, Holland and Luxembourg. A moratorium on production was imposed in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The discontent was shown also by representatives of the USA, not persons interested to give way to one of the leading countries on creation of technologies of extraction of slate gas. Thus, the geologists who in detail studied a picture of natural resources in Poland claim that the prospect of extraction of slate gas in Poland remains foggy. Even in case of successful opening of large-scale deposits the country practically has no chances of the competition to the USA having 34-76 billion cubic meters of slate gas. First "shale gas revolution" in Poland failed.