Polish and Canadian Companies to Enter Shale Ventures

An official visit to Canada by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will reportedly lead to formal co-operation between Polish and Canadian based companies in the area of shale gas.

Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reports that Grupa Lotos SA will enter into an agreement with Talisman Energy, to jointly explore unconventional gas concessions held by the Gdansk based company.

PKN Orlen is reportedly to enter into a strategic partnership for shale gas exploration with EnCana Corp, Canada's largest natural gas producer. The arrangement will allow for joint participation in Poland and in North America

Last summer, it was reported that Orlen and Encana had reached a deal reportedly involving access to Encana’s activities in the U.S. along with a contribution of $200 million USD from Encana to co-finance prospecting works in Poland, in exchange for a stake in Orlen’s concessions in the Lubelskie (Lublin) Basin.  Orlen hold six shale gas concessions in the Lublin region (Bełżyce, Garwolin, Lubartów, Lublin, Wierzbica, Hrubieszów).  However, the joint venture project did not get the green light from the Ministry of Treasury.

Polish natural gas leader PGNiG is reportedly also in discussion with potential co-venturers, but has not reached any firm arrangements to date.  

In April, PGNiG and PKN Orlen, the largest refiner in Central Europe, revealed that they has started talks over collaboration on oil and gas exploration, in Poland and abroad.