Polish oil and gas giant PGNiG started drilling for shale gas at its Tomaszów Lubelski concession in Lubelszczyzna, southeast Poland, on Monday, reported Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.

The new well is expected to allow the state-owned gas monopoly to obtain more information about shale gas resources in the region.

PGNiG announced that within the next 100 days it will carry out drilling to a depth of 4,300 meters. According to initial results of geological research in the area, shale gas should be found at a depth of approximately 2,300 – 4,300 meters. The total cost of the drilling rig and all the necessary equipment amounts to some $25 million.

A report published last week by the Polish Geological Institute (PIG) estimates Poland's shale gas reserves at between 0.35 and 0.77 trillion cubic meters, indicating that Poland's shale gas potential could be far lower than previously predicted.

Poland A.M.