Shale gas production in Poland will, in a decade, transform the European Union energy market by boosting energy security and lowering gas prices, dpa quoted a Polish think tank as reporting Thursday. Once large-scale production of Polish shale gas gets underway, it will force Russian providers to reduce prices in order to compete, said the report from the Krakow-based Kosciuszko Institute. It would also mean independence from foreign suppliers, the report said. Companies are currently searching for shale gas in Poland after initial drilling revealed the country may have sizeable reserves. Experts predict that production could launch in about 10 years. Poland seeks to lower its reliance on foreign suppliers, as it currently relies on Russian gas imports via Ukraine and Belarus for most of its energy needs. Those supplies were disrupted in 2009 over disputes between Moscow and the transport countries.
