One of Europe's largest oil fields discovered in Poland
The well is located in the Baltic Sea, about 6 km from the port of Swinoujscie, in northwestern Poland.
BerlinCanadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) has announced the discovery in the Baltic Sea of the largest conventional hydrocarbon field ever discovered in Poland and one of the largest conventional oil fields in Europe in the last decade. The field is located in the Baltic Sea, approximately 6 kilometers off the coast of the seaport of Swinoujscie, in the northwestern corner of Poland.
This important discovery took place in the Wolin East 1 (WE1) well, which is 100% owned and operated by CEP, a Canadian company with Norwegian investors specializing in hydrocarbon exploration and production in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Wolin concession covers 593 square kilometers, according to Polish television channel TVP World. CEP's Polish subsidiary operates the field. The WE1 well was drilled using a jack-up rig in 9.5-meter water depth and reached a vertical depth of 2,715 meters.
"The Wolin East oil field is estimated to contain a total of 200 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmbo) of recoverable oil, marketable gas, and natural gas liquids," according to the Calgary-based Canadian company.
The discovery of the Wolin East hydrocarbon field "may be a milestone in the history of hydrocarbon exploration in Poland, especially with regard to areas that have been insufficiently explored so far, such as Poland's exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea," says Krzy's.
If this discovery is ultimately confirmed, “the future development of this field could significantly contribute to strengthening Poland’s energy security and reducing its dependence on external hydrocarbon suppliers, provided that all formal requirements for its exploitation are met beforehand,” adds Galos.
“This is a historic moment for both Central European Petroleum and the Polish energy sector,” said Rolf G. Skaar, CEO of Central European Petroleum.
Skaar considered this discovery “the basis for the responsible, long-term development of Poland’s offshore resources.” “Wolin East is more than just a promising field: it represents a shared opportunity to realize the full geological and energy potential of the Baltic Sea,” said the CEO of CEP, who believes that Wolin East is destined to become “a vital component of Poland’s national energy portfolio.”
A possible obstacle to oil and gas extraction in this area could come from the German citizens' initiative Lebensraum Vorpommern, according to the Polish news portal Notes from PolandThis environmental organization believes that potential gas extraction will lead to further destruction of the coastal landscape of Western Pomerania. It also opposes the planned construction of a new deepwater shipping terminal in Swinoujscie, near the German border.
