GAZKOP has been issued two new Coal Bed Methane (CBM) permits in Katowice County, within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (UCSB). 1/2020 Mszana (16 sq km) is effective from 21 January 2020 until 10 February 2037, whilst 2/2020 Wilchwy (18 sq km) is valid from 22 January 2020 to 10 February 2036. The blocks overlap the Marcel coal deposit, which forms part of PGG's ROW (Rybnicki Okreg Weglowy) coal mine. At least 31 wells have been drilled on the acreage, mainly in the 1950s and 1960s related to coal exploration or stratigraphic tests. Wilchwy was previously licensed for CBM exploration under 63/2009/p concession, which was surrendered in October 2017. The licences are located proximate to a number of existing CBM permits, notably 4/2016/p Anna (licensed to Termospec), 3/2016 Jankowice-Wsonod (CETUS), 12/2011 Zory (GAZKOP), 10/2015/p Zory M (PWiK Zory M), and 2/2019/p Ruptawa (JSW). The blocks lie 40km W of the 0.9 MW Tauron Dystrybucja power plant at Gilowice, which commenced generation in April 2019. The facility is powered by CBM extracted from PGNiG's 2/2017/L Miedzyrzecze, under the Geo-Metan project with coal miner PGG, and the Polish Geological Institute (PGI). This is part of PGNiG's greater plan to utilise an estimated 6 Tcfg recoverable CBM in the USCB which extends to further co-operation with two more coal miners, JSW and Tauron. GAZKOP operates both licences with 100% interest held via two subsidiaries - Gazkop-1 Sp in 1/2020 Mszana, and Gazkop-Wilchwy Sp zoo in 2/2020 Wilchwy.
GAZKOP has been issued two new Coal Bed Methane GAZKOP has been issued 2 new CBM permits in Katowice County, within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. 1/2020 Mszana (16 sq km) and 2/2020 Wilchwy (18 sq km).