Poland's dream of shale gas riches begins to dim

Warsaw

POLAND's dream of becoming a shale gas "El Dorado", bringing untold riches and assuring energy independence, is turning into a mirage as Western firms abandon prospecting efforts, citing poor results.

"We can no longer talk of a new El Dorado," said Grazyna Piotrowska-Oliwa, a former president of Poland's PGNiG gas utility. "The hopes and promises were excessive," she said, even though the official results of the explorations have yet to be published.