PGNiG: Fracturing in Lubocino
Poland's PGNiG has revealed it has conducted another fracture treatment of its most promising shale gas drilling site in Lubocino, Pomorze.
According to the company, the work was performed at a depth of 2800 meters, 100 meters above the first, single stage stimulation, completed 10 months ago.
Last September the state owned gas firm announced it had become the first Polish company to start “technological production of shale gas” in the Wejherowo license area.
PGNiG later revealed that results obtained from first flow tests in Lubocino suggested potentially significant amounts of shale gas.
“Analyses of the gas, coming from Silurian and Ordovician shales, have confirmed very good energy characteristics, absence of hydrogen sulphide and low nitrogen content. The analyses have further identified the presence of heavy hydrocarbons.”
The prospects of Lubocino have become a focal point in Poland's hopes to create and commercially develop its prospective shale gas resources. The drilling site was visited last fall by Prime Minister Donald Tusk several weeks before parliamentary elections in Poland.
The evening television news showed a gas flare and the white-and-red flag on top of the derrick in the background and the PM announcing that “moderate optimism allows to expect the commercial production of shale gas to start in 2014.”.
The event was called by the company “the major milestone not only for PGNiG, but also for the entire Polish economy.”
Treasury Minister Mikolaj Budzanowski said this week that three production sites would be launched in Poland by 2015. He also predicted that the current pace of exploration works should by then give the answer to the question concerning overall production capabilities in the country.
Last week, Minister Budzanowski announced the launch of a shale gas alliance of five state-controlled firms who would jointly finance costly exploration at the Wejherowo concession The co-operation agremment was signed by the PGNiG, copper giant KGHM and utililities: Enea, Tauron and PGE. The costs of developments at Wejherowo are expected to exceed 1.7 bln zlotys (0.5 bln dollars).
PGNiG CEO Grazyna Piotrowska Oliwa has states that the first horizontal drilling in Lubocino was planned for the next month.
PGNiG plans is to drill at least seven shale gas exploration wells this year. Ms. Piotrowska Oliwa explained that they would be separate from activities to be financed by the the consortium of five companies at the Wejherowo concession.