The discovery of oil and natural gas deposits near Świnoujście could significantly strengthen Poland’s energy security. Before extraction can begin, however, German environmental organisations are attempting to halt the project. They have announced political campaigning, a petition to the European Commission and, if necessary, legal action.

The Wolin East deposit was discovered beneath the Baltic seabed, approximately six kilometres off the coast of Świnoujście. The Wolin East 1 exploration well, drilled by Central European Petroleum, reached a depth of 2,715 metres. Tests confirmed a 62-metre hydrocarbon column.

According to the company’s estimates, the Wolin East area alone may contain approximately 22 million tonnes of recoverable crude oil and condensate, as well as 5 billion cubic metres of natural gas. The resources within the entire 593-square-kilometre Wolin licence area could be substantially larger, potentially exceeding 33 million tonnes of oil and condensate and approximately 27 billion cubic metres of gas.

The company describes the discovery as the largest conventional hydrocarbon field ever found in Poland and one of Europe’s largest oil discoveries of the past decade. These figures remain the investor’s estimates, however, and still require confirmation through geological documentation and further studies. Central European Petroleum announced the discovery in July 2025.

An Opportunity to Strengthen Poland’s Energy Security

The potential development of the deposit could increase domestic oil and gas production and reduce Poland’s dependence on imports. Following the announcement of the drilling results, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment and Chief National Geologist, Krzysztof Galos, said that, if the estimates were ultimately confirmed, Wolin East could prove to be a breakthrough discovery in the history of hydrocarbon exploration in Poland.

The company holds combined licence No. 9/2017/Ł, covering the exploration, appraisal and extraction of hydrocarbons in the Wolin area. According to documents published by the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment, the exploration and appraisal phase runs until 1 December 2026, while the entire licence remains valid until 1 December 2027.

This does not mean that production can begin automatically. The company must first obtain approval of the geological documentation, complete the necessary environmental procedures and secure the decisions required to construct production infrastructure. Details of the licence have been published by the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment.

German Organisations Form a United Front

On 30 July 2026, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, BUND Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, WWF Germany and the Lebensraum Vorpommern citizens’ initiative announced the formation of an alliance whose objective is to prevent the deposit from being developed.

The organisations are calling on the German federal government, the state government of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the European Union to oppose the project. They have also reserved the right to take legal action.

Environmental campaigners argue that the drilling site is located close to Natura 2000 protected areas. According to BUND, European marine conservation areas begin approximately 200 metres from the existing well site. The organisations point to the potential risks posed by underwater noise, increased vessel traffic, pollutants entering the water and a possible oil spill.

They also emphasise the importance of the Bay of Pomerania for seabirds, the endangered Baltic harbour porpoise and the tourism industry on the island of Usedom.

The organisations are additionally raising the project’s potential cross-border implications. They argue that it has not yet been established whether the deposit extends beneath the German section of the Baltic Sea. They are therefore demanding a transboundary environmental impact assessment and the participation of German authorities, environmental organisations and local residents in the proceedings. The alliance’s position was published by Deutsche Umwelthilfe.

Petition to Be Submitted to the European Commission

The campaign against the project has been under way since the autumn of 2025. BUND, Lebensraum Vorpommern and organisations affiliated with Coalition Clean Baltic launched a petition concerning not only Wolin East but also a proposed ban on all new oil and gas projects in the Baltic Sea.

According to German media reports, the petition has already attracted approximately 88,000 signatures, primarily from residents of Baltic Sea countries. The document is expected to be submitted to the European Commission in September 2026.

Its authors are demanding that plans for oil and gas extraction in the Oder Estuary and the Bay of Pomerania be halted. They are also calling for the involvement of the European Commission, the Helsinki Commission and the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention. Coalition Clean Baltic has outlined the objectives of the campaign.

The Dispute Is Only Beginning

Neither the petition nor the declarations made by German environmental organisations can automatically stop a project located within Poland’s exclusive economic zone. They could, however, generate political pressure, prolong environmental proceedings, prompt a transboundary assessment and eventually lead to legal disputes before national courts or European institutions.

The future of Wolin East will therefore be determined not only by the deposit’s actual size and the economic viability of its development. Equally important will be the findings of environmental assessments, decisions made by the Polish authorities and the investor’s ability to demonstrate that extraction would not threaten protected areas of the Baltic Sea.

The case is developing into a conflict between two sets of interests: Poland’s energy security and economic development on the one hand, and the protection of a particularly vulnerable marine ecosystem and coastal tourism on the other.

At this stage, it is impossible to determine whether the German organisations will succeed in blocking the project. It is already clear, however, that the path from discovery to commercial production will be long and marked by a significant international dispute.