The discovery of a vast oil and gas deposit off the Polish coast in the Baltic Sea has sparked significant controversy, with German officials and environmental groups voicing strong opposition to Poland’s plans to develop the hydrocarbon field. The dispute centers on concerns that exploiting the Wolin East deposit, situated near the German-Polish border, could cause serious environmental damage and disrupt the tourism-dependent economies on both sides.

On July 21, Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) announced the discovery of the Wolin East hydrocarbon deposit, located approximately 6 kilometers off the port city of Świnoujście, on the Polish coast adjacent to the German border. CEP, which has held exploration rights in the region since 2017, heralded this find as Poland’s largest hydrocarbon discovery in decades and one of the biggest in Europe over the last ten years.

The company estimates that the Wolin East deposit contains recoverable reserves of more than 33 million tons of oil and 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas. It projects a production potential exceeding 400 million barrels of oil equivalent. If fully exploited, the deposit could provide Poland with a meaningful boost in energy security, potentially covering 4 to 5 percent of its annual oil demand.

The Polish government views the discovery as a strategic breakthrough. Undersecretary of State and Chief Geologist Krzysztof Gałos stated that commercial production could begin within 3 to 4 years, pending regulatory approvals and permits. The project is framed as a key step toward reducing Poland’s energy reliance on imports, especially amid ongoing efforts by the European Union to wean itself off Russian energy sources in the wake of sanctions related to the war in Ukraine.

However, the discovery has not........

© Blitz