Świnoujście/Usedom – Poland possesses one of the country’s largest conventional oil deposits just off its Baltic Sea coast, yet opposition is mounting on the German side. According to the company involved, the Wolin East field holds approximately 22 million tonnes of recoverable oil and five billion cubic meters of natural gas. The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania firmly opposes oil extraction at this location in the Baltic Sea. Furthermore, German environmental groups intend to halt the project using legal means if necessary. The deposit lies only a few kilometers from the island of Usedom, while European marine protected areas extend close to the site of the exploratory drilling. However, Poland has not yet authorized commercial extraction.
Germany opposes oil extraction in the Baltic Sea
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania took a stand against the project as soon as the scale of the discovery became known. Environment Minister Till Backhaus described extraction as incompatible with German environmental and tourism interests. He also demanded that the federal government adopt a clear stance toward Poland. The state particularly criticizes the fact that it was not sufficiently involved in earlier exploration activities.
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The conflict therefore extends beyond ordinary resource extraction. Germany and Poland have agreed on rules for cross-border environmental impact assessments. The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania considers these rules applicable whenever there is a potential impact on German coastal waters or protected areas. However, no explicit objection of comparable severity from the federal government has been documented to date.
Environmental groups aim to halt extraction through legal action if necessary
Opposition in Germany has since broadened significantly. The DUH, BUND Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the WWF, and the citizens’ initiative “Lebensraum Vorpommern” have formed a joint alliance. They aim to prevent oil extraction in the Baltic Sea and reserve the right to take legal action to achieve this. Additionally, a petition bearing approximately 88,000 signatures is scheduled to be presented to the EU Commission in September.
The organizations point specifically to the location of the discovery off the Pomeranian Bay. According to their data, European marine protected areas begin just 200 meters from the current drilling site. Consequently, they warn of underwater noise, the release of pollutants, and the potential consequences of an oil spill. At the same time, they view tourism on the island of Usedom and along the coast of Western Pomerania as being at risk.
Poland Sees the Oil Field as an Opportunity for Greater Supply Security
For Poland, however, the project is of considerable economic importance. Central European Petroleum estimates the recoverable reserves at the Wolin East field at around 22 million tonnes of oil and five billion cubic meters of gas. The entire concession area could potentially hold more than 33 million tonnes of oil and approximately 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Consequently, Wolin East could become Poland’s largest known conventional hydrocarbon discovery.
Warsaw’s interest stands in direct contrast to Germany’s opposition. By extracting oil from the Baltic Sea, Poland could reduce its reliance on imports and tap into additional domestic reserves. CEP is therefore aiming to develop the field as quickly as possible. However, before extraction can begin, the company must submit further documentation and obtain the necessary permits.
The conflict is therefore likely to shift increasingly toward the permitting process. Germany cannot simply block a project located entirely within Polish territory. However, potential cross-border environmental impacts could grant German authorities and the EU the right to participate in the proceedings. Thus, the fate of Wolin East will be determined not only by the size of the discovery but also by the impending dispute regarding environmental and European law.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: Euronews (09.08.26) – Interia Biznes (04.08.26) – NDR (30.07.26) – Landesregierung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (23.07.26)