Britain's zenith energy sparks Baltic gas feud with Germany
The British company Zenith Energy has completed test drilling at Wolin East-1 in the Baltic Sea. Preliminary data indicates there might be up to 582 billion cubic feet of natural gas in the region. This development could spark a dispute with Germany, as the initiative was not discussed with them.
According to the industry service offshore-energy.biz, Zenith Energy completed the 70-day drilling project at Wolin East-1 on behalf of the Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP). This marks the first drilling under the Wolin concession, granted to CEP by the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment in 2017.
Drilling in the Baltic Sea: Wolin's gas potential
CEP President Rolf Skaar previously emphasized that preliminary data suggests the potential presence of up to 582 billion cubic feet of natural gas. "Thanks to our extensive experience with similar drillings throughout Europe, the entire Wolin East-1 drilling operation was completed as planned. We will now proceed with a thorough analysis of all data obtained during drilling, which will take several months," said Skaar, as quoted by Oilfield Technology. He noted concisely that the preliminary verification of measurements looks promising.
Gas drilling in the Baltic Sea is causing tensions between Poland and Germany. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Minister of Environment, Till Backhaus, criticized the Polish authorities for the lack of consultations on this matter. German environmental authorities believe actions with potential ecological consequences require prior notification to neighboring countries. The Polish side claims that the concession was issued in accordance with national regulations.
"The Polish government is in the process of destroying the protected Wolin Baltic Sea coast – with dramatic consequences for the Pomeranian Bay and the people who live and work here. Serious accidents involving oil and LNG tankers and towers producing toxic mixtures of gas and oil would turn the entire Pomeranian Bay into a cesspool," reads an appeal on the site of Bürgerinitiative Lebensraum Vorpommern, a civic initiative for the living space in Western Pomerania.
The company believes that Wolin will be an important natural gas area, with a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, the Police petrochemical complex, and a future ship refueling system in place.
