FM Sikorski and Ambassador Feinstein Open Conference on Energy Security and Shale Gas

8 April 2010

Ambassador Feinstein (left) and Foreign Minister Sikorski (right) speak with reporters following the conference’s opening

On April 8, the U.S. Embassy and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs jointly hosted a Conference on “Energy Security and the Role of Shale Gas: American Experience and Polish Prospects” at the Warsaw University of Technology.  Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and U.S. Ambassador Lee Feinstein opened the conference, which focused on the potential of shale gas development in Poland and its impact on energy security.  Also representing the United States at the conference were Ambassador Richard Morningstar, Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, and representatives of other U.S. government agencies and major American energy companies.

In recent years, the United States has moved from being a major importer of natural gas to a position of  near gas independence, thanks in large part to the development of shale gas resources.  Ambassador Feinstein noted that “U.S. companies – through research and innovation – were able to develop and deploy new technologies, unlocking shale gas as a source of energy. This conference will be an opportunity to explore the potential of a new U.S.-Polish partnership – a partnership of innovation, investment and entrepreneurship - to advance our shared interest in developing cleaner, diversified and secure sources of energy.”  As widely reported, Polish rocks are rich in shale.  Major U.S. oil and gas companies have come to Poland to apply that technology and to examine whether they can cost effectively extract natural gas from Polish shale.

At the conference, Polish and American representatives held sessions on “Regional Dimensions: Energy and Climate Security,” “Technological Aspects of Shale Gas Exploration and Production: U.S. Experience and Application to Poland,” “Regulation and Economic Factors Affecting Production,” and “Environmental Aspects and Impact on Local Communities of Shale Gas Exploration and Production.”

• Ambassador Feinstein's remarks