For over a year, HRN has been writing about the far-reaching geopolitical impact shale gas will have on various parts of the world. Back in April 2010, we referenced a Times article that was picking up on the impact Poland’s shale gas reserves will have on eastern Europe and that country’s relationship with Russia.
See HRN: Natural gas to bring about far reaching geopolitical changes - Sept 2010
When U.S. President Barack Obama visited Poland for the first time last month, he offered to share US technology used to crack open the gas-rich rock formations. Obama has also offered this to China and others with potential shale gas reserves. Interestingly enough Poland has set out a time line to start producing significant natural gas from their shale deposits within the next decade. Bloomberg points out that this coincides with Germany’s announced timeline to close its 17 nuclear reactors. This is nothing more then coincidence as one would have to truly believe that Germany will close these reactors (HRN Opinion: This is simply a convenient deferral. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel is simply trying to gain popular support. The public opinion of nuclear power in Germant is likely to change over the next ten years. The person in power in ten years is likely to keep them on a pro-nuclear policy).
Point here is that Poland is committed to shale gas, and moving forward with its development. As well as building an LNG port on the north shore of Poland. This will have significant impact on Europe, and in particular Russian relations with east Europe.
Bloomberg: Poland Targeting Shale Gas With Exxon, Chevron to End Russian Dominance
