Spiegel Online: Poland Hopes Shale Gas Will Free It from Gazprom

A gold rush is underway in Poland, where international energy companies are scrambling for the right to drill for shale gas.

Poland's government sees the extraction as a ticket to independence from Russia's Gazprom, but some residents near the drilling sites are wary of the risks. 

The Polish government is excited about shale gas because it represents a shot at energy independence. The country is currently one of the largest customers of Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, buying 10.25 billion cubic meters of natural gas from it last year alone. Gazprom's opaque pricing policies related to Poland are a constant source of tension between the countries. The fact that the Kremlin-cozy company has delivered 7 percent less gas to the Poland since last Thursday, while Europe suffers from a record cold snap, hasn't helped, either. MORE