Paper Titles & Abstracts

Publicising of the World Shale Gas Resources report by the United States (US) Energy Information Agency (EIA) has been a major breakthrough in changing dynamics of 'energy security' debate in the European Union (EU) while reflecting America's own experience with the emerging resource as the external energy dependence 'game changer'. Having in mind high expectations surrounding this political economy issue, the paper draws on the case study of Poland and the United Kingdom (UK) to understand (a) degree of success of the two countries in addressing their interest in commercialising the emerging resource (b) the impact the shift has had on the EU natural gas governance.Developments surrounding shale gas in the US are often described as revolutionary owing to the impact they have had on market structures in North America. For more than two decades energy governance structures in Europe have been preoccupied with energy supply security and market competition. When the US changed roles from being a net importer to net exporter of natural gas in late 2000s, it seemed only a matter of time for Europe to try and replicate the success through exploration of the EIA identified resources. With advent of new technology coupled with high prices of oil and natural gas, hopes for translating the US's 'shale gas revolution' have resonated particularly strongly in the East of the continent. The Polish example has been unique in the context. Despite prospective engagement of the gas industry in exploration of the country's unconventional gas resources, success of shale gas production remains uncertain. This is opposed by the example of the UK which, despite its relatively lower reserves ratio, has been able to seize the opportunity and operationalise exploration of shale gas with prospects of its commercial production in the first quarter of 2013.