The Central European Petroleum (CEP) confirmed a significant oil find in the Baltic Sea, roughly 6 km off the Polish coast. The Wolin East deposit is estimated to hold 22 million tonnes of recoverable hydrocarbons in the form of crude oil and condensate, alongside 5 billion cubic metres of commercially viable natural gas. In total, the broader Wolin licence encompasses over 33 million tonnes of oil and condensate and 27 billion cubic metres of gas.

Central European Petroleum (CEP) has confirmed a significant oil discovery via its Wolin East 1 (WE1) exploratory well, drilled approximately 6 kilometres off the Polish coast near Świnoujście in the Baltic Sea. The oil found has an API gravity of 33.4, indicating a high-quality, light crude suitable for commercial extraction.

The Wolin licence, granted by Poland’s Minister of Climate and Environment, spans 593 square kilometres and covers both the Main Dolomite (Ca2) formation and the deeper Rotliegend sandstones, known as the red bed reservoir. CEP’s exploration campaign at the WE1 site included drilling, core sampling, geophysical logging, and reservoir testing, with a particular focus on the Ca2 formation.

Pre-drill analysis had already suggested promising reserves, estimating the Main Dolomite layer alone could contain up to 16.5 billion cubic metres of recoverable gas and 10.3 million cubic metres of recoverable liquids. These figures were further supported by the recent successful test results.

CEP is a Canadian-based hydrocarbon exploration and production company headquartered in Calgary, with Norwegian investors holding a majority stake. Its Polish subsidiary, CEP Central European Petroleum, holds and operates the Wolin licence in north-western Poland.

“This is a major conventional oil and gas discovery not just for Poland but for Europe as a whole,” said CEP CEO Rolf Skaar in an interview with Polish Press Agency (PAP) Biznes. 

“In terms of size, it’s the biggest discovery of its kind in Europe in the past decade.”

To illustrate its significance, Skaar compared the Wolin East discovery to Poland’s existing Barnówko–Mostno–Buszewo (BMB) field, which contains approximately 400–500 million barrels of oil in place. With a recovery factor of around 25%, BMB has an estimated 100 million barrels of extractable reserves. 

„We’re looking at a field of a similar—if not larger—scale,” Skaar stated.

Poland currently consumes around 700,000 barrels of oil per day, yet domestic production supplies only 16,000 to 18,000 barrels daily, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports for roughly 95% of its oil needs.

“Once we move to production, we could potentially double or even triple Poland’s current daily output. This would mark a significant shift in the country’s energy landscape and bolster national energy security,” said Skaar. 

He also revealed that gas production could increase by around 20% upon project launch, with confirmed reserves now estimated at 16.5 billion cubic metres.

With the discovery now verified through successful drilling, CEP is actively seeking development partners. Discussions are underway with leading Polish and international oil and gas firms.

“We’re open to partnership opportunities and are eager to bring experienced exploration and production companies on board,” Skaar explained. 

“We’ve already had preliminary conversations—many told us, ‘Drill first, then we’ll talk.’ Now that we’ve struck oil, interest is growing. We know of at least ten firms ready to engage in serious discussions.”

Germany has voiced opposition to Central European Petroleum’s offshore drilling activities in the Baltic Sea, with particular criticism coming from Till Backhaus, the Environment Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Backhaus argued that any operations with potential environmental consequences should involve prior consultation with neighbouring countries.

Polish authorities, however, defended their decision, emphasising that the exploration licence for the Wolin concession was issued fully in line with national legal procedures. They maintained that the project complies with domestic environmental and regulatory standards.

Source: PAP

Photo: X/@intermarium24

Tomasz Modrzejewski