Deadline for Co-Operation Agreement on Shale Gas in Poland Now Beginning of May

Polish companies hoping to develop shale have delayed a date for reaching agreement on co-operation.

 Gas monopoly PGNiG, copper miner KGHM and utilities PGE, Tauron and Enea, now say the first week of May will be the deadline. Last July they agreed to spend 1.7 billion zlotys (€415 million) on joint exploration and extraction of shale gas.

Since then it has proved problematic to fine-tune the deal, and a deadline of February 4 was missed.  "The change in deadlines is due to ongoing talks on detailed conditions of the cooperation," the companies said in separate statements.

Potential investors in shale extraction have complained about a lack of clarity in Poland where a new shale gas law is being developed.