Poland eyes new shale regulations

A pedestrian passes the German-Polish border in Ahlbeck, northern Germany, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007. Citizens from nine new E.U. member nations, most in Eastern Europe, among them Poland, will be able to travel passport-free to most other countries in the bloc as of Dec. 21, 2007. (AP Photo/Frank Hormann)

Shale plans: Polish government mulls its role in development

AP Photo/Frank Hormann

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By News Wires

 08 September 2011 16:56 GMT

Poland plans special regulations for shale gas production, including fees or even mandatory participation of the state, to safeguard its budgetary interests, a deputy treasury minister said on Thursday.

Reuters reported that Mikolaj Budzanowski said special legislation aimed at keeping gas prices low and securing budgetary inflows could be approved next year.

"Poland's interests could be protected through (special) taxes or fees or the state's stake in gas production from licences," Budzanowski told a seminar during an economic forum in Krynica.

Poland is seen as a prospective market for unconventional gas production with 90 exploration licenses already awarded with the sector's giants like Chevron and ExxonMobil among interested parties.

However, the licenses only cover exploration and the companies will have to seek a…

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