France and Poland: two different positions on shale gas in Europe
Social government in France is divided on shale gas after President Francois Hollande's critics to Louis Gallos report. In Poland, two more US concerns involved in unconventional energy sector.
Shale gas in Europe represents both an opportunity and a point of contrast which could undermine a government solidity.
According to Gazeta Wyborcza polish newspaper, on Friday the 10/19 French President Francois Hollande strongly criticized a report prepared by Louis Gallos: a well known businessman appointed by the socialist government as the national program of investments responsible.
Mr. Gallos, a former CNCF and EADS top manager, underlined the importance to investigate in shale gas exploration after an official report stated that France has got the second most important unconventional gas potential in Europe after Poland.
The Shale gas extraction needs several fracking techniques in order to exploit the gas from massif rocks placed in low depth. These procedures could cause little earthquakes, so last Semptember President Hollande forbidden in France any kind of unconventional gas investigation.
An opposite attitude from the French one has been taken by Poland. As WSJ reported, US energetic concerns ConocoPhilips and Chevron moved to Poland to start drilling operation on the most important shale gas field in Europe.
Following a shale gas high quantity presence's discover in Poland, Polish government gave national concern PGNiG and other national energetic companies the permission to start unconventional gas extraction.
In Polish shale gas investigation took part also French concern Total and US company ExxonMobil, which resigned after preliminary results on franking tests.
According to NaturalGasEurope, ConocoPhilips and Chevron interest in Polish shale gas is an answer to ExxonMobil resignation, lied with an internal competition between the three most important US energetic concerns.
Matteo Cazzulani
