One of Europe’s largest oil reserves has been discovered in Poland, raising questions about whether the country could become a key point for the continent’s energy security. The Wolin field is located about 6 kilometers from the port city of Świnoujście, near the border with Germany.
Experts estimate that the reserves could reach up to 240 million barrels of oil and 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas, figures that could double Poland’s current reserves. If fully confirmed, Poland would not only cover its own annual consumption, but could also start exporting to neighboring countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The impacts are huge in several ways: investments in infrastructure, economic growth in areas near the Baltic Sea, and thousands of new jobs in the exploration, extraction and logistics sectors. The Institute for Energy Studies in Berlin calls this discovery a “reshaping of Europe’s energy map,” while analysts in Brussels see it as a step towards reducing dependence on Russia and the Middle East, writes A2 CNN.
However, the discovery is not a panacea for the entire continent. According to consultancy DataPulse, the field contains about 22 million tons of oil, less than a third of a Norwegian project that starts production this year. Germany, for example, would consume that amount in just three months.
Poland will also continue to be dependent on imports. Depending on the pace of production, import substitution could be only 6-12% and reserves could be depleted in 10 years.
Another challenge is the limited infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, which increases the cost compared to operations in the North Sea. However, Poland is diversifying sources: for the first time in June 2025, it produced more energy from renewable sources (44,1%) than from coal (43,7%).