Poland’s gas giant PGNiG SA fears potential EU-wide shale gas regulations following France’s parliament voting to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking of gas and oil could threaten the extraction of shale gas deposits in the country.

It is estimated that Poland is sitting on 5.3 trillion cubic metres of shale gas, which if extracted successfully could greatly lesson its reliance on Russian gas and oil.

But the move in the French parliament on Wednesday, and any similar ban on fracking - currently the main method of extracting shale gas - could threaten Poland’s energy security and independence, says state gas company PGNiG’s Marek Karabula.

"From information that we are getting, a push for EU-wide rules is possible. We strongly believe these matters should be regulated on a national level," he told the Wall Street Journal.

Geologist Jan Krasoń has told Polish Radio that the French ban on shale gas extraction comes from pressure from “environmentalist and atomic sector lobbying and from [Russian gas giant] Gazprom”.

He said that France gets about 80 percent of its energy from nuclear reactors and any competition from other energy sources, such as shale gas are unwelcome.

US and other energy suppliers are lining up to explore Poland’s potentially rich supply of shale gas. Chevron plans to drill its first well later this year. (pg)