Społeczno-ekonomiczno-środowiskowe koszty i korzyści wydobycia gazu łupkowego w Polsce na tle doświadczeń amerykańskich
Socio-economic and environmental costs and benefits of shale gas extraction in the context of american experience

Summary/Abstract: This article attempts to present socio-economic and environmental costs and benefits in the context of exploration and future extraction of shale gas. This topic is at the present time very timely due to the implementation of the exploratory wells in Pomerania and Lublin region, the prevailing unrest in the areas covered by concessions, as well as the lack of scientific basis and sufficient legal and economic grounds for the entry into extraction phase. The likely argument therefore would be that the potential environmental and social damage caused by the extraction of shale gas by hydraulic fracturing is not sufficiently researched to take the risk of economic losses in the industrial production of shale gas. In this paper, the methods of literature analysis, case studies, statistical analysis based on Central Statistical Office and PGI data, induction-deduction, analysis-synthesis and comparison methods are used. Based on the U.S. experience, mentioned in the text, as well as current research on the introduction of other methods of shale gas production and the recommendation of the European Union it cannot be concluded that the production of unconventional gas in Poland will not cause adverse effects on the environment and health, or it will be cost effective.

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