With a drilling rig in the background, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently touted the benefits of shale gas production, which should begin commercial production by 2014.

Visiting a shale gas drilling rig in Lubocino in Pomerania, the prime minister stated, "After many years of gas and energy dependence from our large neighbor, it is safe to say that my generation will live to see the moment when we will be self-dependent as far as gas is concerned.

"We claim, with moderate optimism, that 2014 will be the beginning of commercial exploitation. We have worked out a prospect until 2035, and this is the moment when we will be able to say that we will be dependent mainly on our own gas," he emphasized. ?

More than 100 concessions for shale-gas exploration were granted to foreign and domestic companies, noted Tusk.

According to estimates, there may be up to 5.3 trillion cubic meters (187 trillion cubic feet) of recoverable shale gas reserves in Poland.

Poland does face some political opposition to the shale-gas development. The European Union is said to be considering anti-shale-gas regulations. Polish officials have said they will veto any edict from the EU that would interfere with the development of the country's resources.

Poland is leading the shale-gas revolution in Europe and is by far the most active country in terms of leasing and drilling activity.

And, the government wants to keep as much money in the country as possible. Government officials are working with Norwegian and Canadian exports to devise legal provisions that will guarantee profit to Poland from shale-gas development.

The prime minister was at the Lubocino-1 well, which was drilled by Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo (PGNIG). Gas production began following hydraulic fracturing of the shale formation. Drilling of production wells is expected to begin in the middle of 2012 with trial exploitation in 2013.??

PGNIG has received 15 concessions that allow exploration for unconventional deposits.

Another company operating in Poland is 3Legs Resources Plc. The company has completed testing of one horizontal well -- Lebien LE-2H -- and is drilling a second vertical pilot well -- the Warblino LE-1H.

The Lebien LE-2H had an initial production rate of 2.2 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) on Sept. 8 while the frac fluid was being recovered by nitrogen lift. Production declined to 500,000 cf/d on Sept. 13. After running a tubing string, production settled to an average of about 480,000 cf/d through Sept. 25, according to 3Legs Resources.

"Our interpretation of logs conducted after the frac operation indicates that the frac propagated to a portion of the reservoir in each of the 13 stages, but not to all of the reservoir. We will be reviewing frac designs with the intention of improving frac performance on future wells. This well has provided us with invaluable information do to this and to improve reservoir deliverability," said Peter Clutterbuck, chief executive, 3Legs Resources.

The Warblino LE-1H was drilled to total depth of 3,222 m (10,633 ft) with extensive coring and logging programs. In addition to encountering the same intervals found at the Lebien LE-1 and Lebien LE-2H wells, this well encountered a separate, deeper interval.

The well was sidetracked in the deeper interval, drilling a 1,246-m (4,112 ft) lateral with strong gas shows. The company had to drill another sidetrack lateral due to hole-stability problems in the first lateral. A well-stimulation program and flow test will be conducted on the well.

The Warblino LE-1H horizontal well is approximately 25 km west of the Lebien LE-2H well.

Following drilling of the vertical wellbore, the well was plugged back as planned and the horizontal section drilled in this deeper interval stayed within the upper 5.0 m of the formation for nearly the entire length of the lateral. Gas shows were encountered throughout this interval.

"We are encouraged by the characteristics of the new shale interval we have encountered in the Warblino LE-1H horizontal well and believe this represents a promising additional target in the basin. We look forward to the test results of this well programme, scheduled for later this year," he explained.

ConocoPhillips is farming in on the 3Legs' Baltic concessions. ConocoPhillips is providing funding for seismic surveys and the drilling of three wells in return for the right to acquire a 70% interest in the concessions. ConocoPhillips has until March 2012 to give notice within 180 days to exercise the right.

ExxonMobil is preparing to frac its second test well near the eastern town of Siennica. The company has six licenses to explore for shale gas in Poland.

In the Lublin Basin, Exxon (51%) is operating in partnership with Total (49%). In the Podlasie Basin, Exxon has partnered with Hutton Energy.

Contact the author, Scott Weeden, at sweeden@hartenergy.com.