Shale gas: the American soap-bubble burst shedding an unpleasant smell …

It seems that the thought processes in the heads of some politicians pass under the laws, the understanding of which is inaccessible not to plain men, but even to geniuses of medicine.

Yes, you weren't mistaken, the matter is about the shale gas: only what leading experts including the portal “The world and we”, spoke about absolute hopelessness of its production on the European continent … Moreover, some countries of the Old World, such as France and Bulgaria headed by sensible politicians, forbade its production at all, considering an ecological component. The Russian gas quite suits Germany.

Generally there is a strange regularity in the European policy: large independent players somehow don't remember the political dependence on supply of the Russian gas. Whether not therefore that this dependence exists only in the inflamed brains of those who isn't tired to go on about it almost each day? Moreover, many experts are sure that such dependence can't be by clinical definition … Really, there are standard laws of the market – pay and use! If the price doesn't suit, agree and prove the point of view on the basis of honest calculations.

But it is far from it: there are certain countries, the authorities of which behave almost in a sadomasochist way in relation to the own population … The Russian gas delivered by “Gazprom”, possibly, bears a strong resemblance to the Soviet tank hordes to them because of which notorious American minister James Vincent Forrestal jumped out of a window. Certainly, the Americans right raised him to heroes and even called one of aircraft carriers in his honor.

It seems that Forrestal's monasteries haunt some politicians and for some reason in those countries which border with Russia. And the picture sees: this or that prime minister or the president costs on the brink of a roof and appeals to the scared population: “The Russian gas goes, the Russian gas goes!” The people start to throw out the gas stoves and coppers in a mass order, buying the cast-iron moveable wood stoves instead of them. And who doesn't have enough money, patriotically kindles fires directly in apartments …

You will say that it is the fantasy? No, not at all: the local authorities urge the population to use straw for heating in the Western Ukraine, the local authorities report in chorus about transition to this type of fuel in Donetsk. Poland and the Baltic States are going to put huge amounts of money for construction of terminals for reception and storage of the liquefied gas which should be delivered from the Middle East.

The theme of shale gas deserves the special attention. It is obvious that the USA is in a critical situation because of an economic crisis and a huge external debt. In this regard the honest laws of the competition, about which their politicians so like to bat, pushed to the background because it is necessary to look for urgently exit ways from this situation. That is to give possibility the native companies to earn money, instead of another. Therefore the USA initiate the foolish idea about any dependence of Europe on the Russian gas, start to ache about a diversification of power sources, counting thus, possibly, on absolute dullness of the European experts, who perfectly know that the calorific value of shale gas is lower in 2 times than the natural – 0,57 against 1,17! That is, this gas should cost not cheaper, but more expensive than the natural!!! Otherwise about what profitability we can speak???

Meanwhile, nobody can cancel the market laws even if this “someone” sits on Capitol Hill.

And the American company “Exxon Mobil” recognizes the production of shale gas in Poland unprofitable and pays attention to the North of Russia that is to the checked natural gas. Imagine what is the blow across proud Poland which so tries to be in the forefront fighters with “the Russian threat”?

To develop ABM’s system elements in itself? Kindly, sir! To be advertized on Katyn and to forbid the Soviet symbolic, forgetting about 600 thousand lost Soviet soldiers that fell at liberation of Poland? Yes, sir! To indulge in the Georgian aggressors? Certainly yes, with pleasure, sir … And here is such disappointment if not to tell more rigidly, from the everywhere adored transatlantic vis-a-vis …

So, “Exxon Mobil” refused the plans of shale gas production in Poland, having recognized these projects unprofitable. Warsaw won't manage to reduce the dependence on the Russian gas: there would be no shale revolution in Europe similar to American.

The American “Exxon Mobil” refused the plans on gas production from shale in the territory of Poland, told the Polish “Gazeta Wyborcza” referring to the representative of the Americans. Having drilled two prospecting wells, the company didn't find commercial stocks of shale gas. According to the first project, Exxon made works with French “Total” and the British “Hutton Energy” was its partner on the second project.

Poland repeatedly declared that shale will help to reduce the dependence on the Russian gas (consumption makes 10 billion cubic meter a year). Warsaw tries to reconsider the price conditions of the Russian deliveries long ago, but while unsuccessfully.

The shale boom in the USA was defined by a number of conditions which can't be in Europe by definition: there is the technical possibility for production of “shale”, but these projects can’t be commercially successful while. The production of such gas is connected with the use of technology of hydro bursts which demand a water large quantity and not all countries of Europe have it. Besides, the USA put huge budgetary funds in production of shale gas that allowed to involve the consumer with lower price in comparison with the natural or liquefied gas.

But the main problem is ecology. The USA extracts shale gas in sparsely populated areas (in particular, Texas) and the mother Europe is too densely occupied and citizens of EU countries won’t calmly look at how the production would be near their houses.

Absolutely unimaginable situation is in Ukraine which pensively tired to declare that “gas from nonconventional sources will help the country to reduce purchases at “Gazprom”. The Kiev officials a priori argue that Ukraine possesses “the largest stocks of shale in Europe”. However, the Ukrainian looks fantastic at all after the crash of the Polish “shale” project.

And after all last year the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy Yury Boyko declared that the government of Ukraine expects to reduce the volumes of purchases at “Gazprom” for 70 %, to 12 billion cubic meters in five years.

Thus the headings of the Ukrainian mass media, concerning prospects of shale gas in this country, force to remember the poor creature Forrestal …

- “Grishchenko declared that Ukraine will be the gas production center in Europe”
- “Boyko will buy 5 billion cubes of gas in Germany”
- “Boyko: “Ukraine discusses the possibility of gas purchase from the USA and Qatar”
- “It is the time for Yanukovych and Azarov to choke in constant lie”
- “A. Semchenko: “Capacity of Ukraine on shale gas is 2-32 trillion cubic meters"
- “Shale gas is big swindle”

And, at last, one of the last articles carries the characteristic name “Shale bluff of Ukraine” …

However, actually, as they say, the problem is not worth a damn: if the price for the Russian gas doesn’t suit somebody, why doesn’t he try to look for and extract it on 60 degrees of frost? If you don't wish to freeze the gentle ears, welcome, deposit in investigation and production, construction and operation of gas pipelines, invest as much as you like … Or do you want to be more sacred than the Pope? Also consider that even the Russian cities and villages are installed gas much to a lesser extent in comparison with Ukraine, not speaking about Europe.

And it is uncomfortable for mature politicians somehow to dream that the aircraft carriers will be called their names. Firstly, they wouldn’t get to know about it. Secondly, the resources of their countries will suffice unless to boats …