The development of a large hydrocarbon deposit near the border could be detrimental to the environment and tourism.
German officials and environmental organizations have criticized Poland’s plans to develop a newly discovered oil and gas field in the Baltic Sea, cautioning about potential “catastrophic” harm to local ecosystems, according to media reports on Tuesday.
Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP), the holder of exploration rights off Poland’s western coast since 2017, announced the discovery of the Wolin East deposit on Monday, calling it Poland’s largest hydrocarbon discovery and one of Europe’s most significant in the last ten years.
The deposit is located 6km off the coast of Swinoujscie, a port city on the Polish-German border, which bisects an island shared by the two nations, known as Usedom in Germany, famous for its holiday resorts. CEP estimates recoverable reserves at more than 33 million tons of oil and 27 billion cubic meters of gas, with a potential production output exceeding 400 million barrels of oil equivalent.
However, German officials are concerned that the project will negatively impact local tourism and ecosystems. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Environment Minister Till Backhaus stated that the plans are “counter to the environmental and tourism interests of the German side,” and criticized Poland for allegedly failing to inform Berlin in advance about exploration “with potentially transboundary environmental impacts,” which he claims violates cross-border environmental agreements.
Concerns have also surfaced regarding noise, vibrations, and possible damage to marine life. Laura Isabelle Marisken, the mayor of the Heringsdorf resort on Usedom, has requested clarification from the Polish government and protection from Berlin, asserting that the area is “not a place for industrial-political poker games.”
Environmental group Lebensraum Vorpommern accused Poland of “destroying the nature-protected Wolin Baltic Sea coast” and warned of an “environmental catastrophe.” The group intends to sue the Polish government.
As of yet, there has been no official response from Berlin regarding the planned extraction.
Poland views the discovery as a “breakthrough” with the potential to decrease its dependence on energy imports. Undersecretary of State and Chief Geologist Krzysztof Galos stated that the deposit could cover 4-5% of annual oil demand, with production potentially commencing in 3-4 years, contingent on obtaining permits.
The EU has been actively seeking to replace Russian energy sources after supplies decreased due to sanctions related to Ukraine. Moscow has condemned the restrictions as illegal, cautioning that the bloc will be forced to rely on more expensive alternatives or indirect imports.