Talisman: Reports from the European Shale Frontline
Forward looking politicians actively supporting the development of shale gas. Open minded locals greeting a new industry with open arms. Traditional hospitality preponderating fear of the unknown technology. Enthusiastic local authorities looking forward to tax incomes. Studious journalists impartially and objectively informing on the beginning of shale gas revolution.
In Poland this kind of litany has been repeated by authorities for months.
None brings into question, that for a number of reasons the Baltic coast was a perfect landing area for the shale gas special forces invading Europe. However, one of the frontline commanders, Tomasz Maj, made some corrections on this retouched picture.
Country Manager and Vice President of Talisman Energy Polska started with contesting the alleged scale of government engagement. “Guess how many persons work at the concessions department of the Ministry of Environment?” – he asked speaking at the "Shale gas and the goals of the EU energy and climate policy" conference in Warsaw. “The answer is: four”.
Tomasz Maj reckons, that planned tax regulations lack proper incentives for local communities. "We are strongly against centralization of the new gas tax system. Definitely, better share of tax must go to local coffers." - he said.
Maj also reproached, what is in his eyes a soft stance of Warsaw in fight against shale gas enemies on the European theatre. "This is war, both political and PR war, what`s going on inside the European Union" - he said. “These days countries behave egoistically and cynically, so Poland has to take care of its interest. This is the most important issue." - he sterssed.
Answering some harsh questions, country manager of the Canadian gas giant make audience aware of the fact that Talisman has been developing the shale gas in North America for years.
"In Canada environmental regualtions are much more restrictive than in Poland" - he observed, rebuffing allegations concerning environmental impact of shale gas as a source of energy for Poland.
"Let`s compare gas to lignite. Has aynone of you ever seen excavations in Patnow, Adamow, Konin?" - he asked. "You cannot even compare shale gas impact to this scale of environment damage."
As for relations with locals, Maj`s description generally mirrors the official picture. "We have just concluded works in Lewino, we have fantastic relations with local people there." Adding some key details to the picture, he complained about fundamental ignorance of the public. "Information chaos begins at the local level and goes up to Brussels." - he said.
In his opinion, this obliviousness comes not only from the lack of proper information. Maj claims that some fears were born out of deliberate disinformation.
Country manager of Talisman told a story of two gentlemen distributing leaflets in Lewino. “The flyers read that we`re going to exterminate local children."
"You can hardly call them ecologists - they`re pseudo-ecologists" - he lamented, adding: "And some of them are sponsored".