Shale and tight gas in Poland—legal and environmental issues

• Published in: Energy policy 2014-02, Vol.65, p.68-77
• Main Authors: Uliasz-Misiak, Barbara, Przybycin, Andrzej, Winid, Bogumila
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Balance sheets; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Crude oil, natural gas, oil shales producing equipements and methods; Documentation; Eastern Europe; Energy; Energy policy; Environment; Environmental impact; Environmental policy; Environmental protection; Exact sciences and technology; Exploitation; Fuels; Gas well production; Law; Legal and environmental factors; Natural gas; Oil reserves; Poland; Prospecting and production of crude oil, natural gas, oil shales and tar sands; Regulation; Reservoirs; Rivers; Social factors; Studies; Technology; Unconventional gas; Waste management; Water; Water management; Water quality; Water resources management
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.10.026

Exploitation of unconventional gas is limited by a number of economic, legal, environmental and social factors. When it comes to Poland, legal and environmental factors are of special importance, as they might significantly impact the exploitation of both tight gas and shale gas. Exploitation of unconventional gas deposits, because of the technology needed for opening of these deposits, has relatively great impact on the balance sheet and the quality of water. Polish water resources are limited and depend on time and local circumstances. Therefore, obtaining adequate amounts of water needed to hydraulic fracturing of unconventional gas reservoirs may cause some problems. Another problem is return water management. Injection of contaminated water into the rockmass on a large scale seems to be impossible in Poland. Water discharge to surface waters, which seems to be the most probable solution, would result in deterioration of the purity of Polish rivers. Around 32% of Poland is covered by different forms of protection, which might include limitations in exploitation of hydrocarbon deposits (depending on the type of area). Exploration, documentation and exploitation of unconventional gas in Poland is regulated mainly by the laws and regulations regulating geological and mining activities, environmental protection and waste management. •Legal and environmental issues were analyzed regarding unconventional gas exploitation in Poland.•Limited water resources and large areas of environmental protection might be critical for the unconventional gas production.•Exploitation of unconventional gas was primarily regulated by the Geological and mining law and environmental act.•Regulations presented in this paper, are aimed to encouraging investors to search for shale gas.