Polish Delegation Attends First Multilateral Meeting of the Global Shale Gas Initiative

24 August 2010

The first multilateral meeting of the Global Shale Gas Initiative (GSGI) took place in Washington on August 23 and 24, hosted by the U.S. Department of State’s Coordinator for International Energy Affairs David L. Goldwyn.  Poland and sixteen other countries sent representatives to attend the GSGI Conference to discuss the importance of shale gas as a lower-carbon fuel option that can help reduce CO2 emissions while ensuring energy security and economic development in the 21st century.  Dr. Piotr Litwa, President of the State Mining Authority, Director Ewa Zalewska of the Ministry of Environment, and Counselor Katarzyna Kacperczyk of the Foreign Ministry represented Poland at the Washington conference.  “Poland has emerged as a leader in supporting shale gas exploration.  The Polish delegation brings to Washington a set of lessons and experiences – best practices – from which other countries can learn,” said U.S. Ambassador Lee Feinstein.  “Our common goal is to deploy U.S. technology and investment to develop cleaner, more secure energy resources.  The GSGI conference the latest in a series of cooperative efforts aimed at just that.

While visiting Krakow in July, Secretary Clinton said, “We think that Poland, in particular, has a very good opportunity to be a leader in a full range of energy issues, including shale gas… At the political and national level, this is a very good sign of Polish leadership in the energy sector, because energy security and independence is one of the most important aspects of national security in today’s world.”

In April, Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Sikorski established a high-level dialogue to build deeper public and private cooperation on regional energy security.  U.S. investment in “shale gas” exploration holds the promise of converting Polish dependence on imported natural gas into an alternative, secure Polish supply of natural gas exports for the region.  The U.S.-Poland Shale Gas Working Group brings our two governments together to support the safe, successful introduction of U.S. shale gas extraction technology into Poland.

Countries have been selected to participate in GSGI based in part on the known presence of gas-bearing shales within their borders, market potential, business climates, geopolitical synergies, and host government interest. Within GSGI, countries are categorized into Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 countries have the greatest potential for benefiting from GSGI opportunities. Tier 2 encompasses a broader set of countries that have expressed interest and meet GSGI criteria. To date, partnerships under GSGI have been announced with China, India, and Poland.

The Department of State (DOS) launched the Global Shale Gas Initiative (GSGI) in April 2010 in order to help countries seeking to utilize their unconventional natural gas resources to identify and develop them safely and economically.  Shale gas is one of the most rapidly expanding trends in onshore U.S. oil and gas exploration and production. According to Energy Information Administration (EIA), during the last decade, U.S. shale gas production has increased eight-fold; it now accounts for 10% of U.S. gas production and 20% of total remaining recoverable gas resources in the U.S. By 2030, EIA projects that shale gas will represent 7% of total global gas supplies, providing the reserve base necessary for expanded consumption in a business as usual scenario.

Related articles

• Seven People Have Been Charged With Corruption Over Shale Gas Exploration In Poland (businessinsider.com)
• Poland detains 7 suspected of shale gas corruption (reuters.com)
• 7 charged with corruption over shale gas in Poland (foxnews.com)