# Wolin East oil field exploration and regional tensions

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/wolin-east-oil-field-discovery-and-exploration
> Updated: 2026-10-08T10:36:59.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 3.

Central European Petroleum (CEP) has commenced a second drilling operation near Świnoujście, Poland, as part of the ‘Wolin East’ project. This follows an initial drill in February 2025 that identified a 62-meter hydrocarbon layer. The new phase aims to determine the economic viability of the deposit, which is estimated to contain approximately 22 million tons of oil and 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas. This volume could potentially meet up to 5 percent of Poland’s annual oil demand.

As exploration moves into active phases, the Maritime Office in Szczecin has implemented navigational warnings for the Pomeranian Bay, recommending the suspension of fishing, anchoring, transit, and research in the area starting October 1, 2026. 

The scale of the proposed infrastructure—including a drilling platform, a port, and a 10-hectare artificial island—continues to trigger transboundary environmental concerns. German authorities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and environmental groups like BUND have raised apprehensions regarding impacts on Natura 2000 protected areas and marine life, such as seals and porpoises. 

Local leaders on the German island of Usedom, including the mayor of Heringsdorf, Laura Isabelle Marisken, have warned of ‘catastrophic consequences’ for the marine environment in the event of an accident, citing threats to a tourism industry that attracts over a million annual visitors. Denmark has also been notified under the Espoo Convention due to potential cross-border environmental effects.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-08: Poland begins second drilling for major Baltic oil and gas reserves

Canadian firm CEP has begun second drilling near Świnoujście to assess massive Baltic oil and gas reserves, sparking environmental and economic concerns from German officials on the island of Usedom.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/poland-begins-second-drilling-for-major-baltic-oil-and-gas-reserves

### 2026-09-30: Wolin East oil exploration in the Baltic Sea sparks regional concerns

Exploration for the Wolin East oil field in the Baltic Sea near Świnoujście has triggered environmental and navigational warnings, with Germany and Denmark raising concerns over transboundary impacts.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/wolin-east-oil-exploration-in-the-baltic-sea-sparks-regional-concerns

### 2026-09-17: Wolin East oil field discovery in the Baltic Sea awaits regulatory review

Central European Petroleum has discovered a major oil and gas deposit in the Baltic Sea near Świnoujście, estimated at 22 million tons of oil, though extraction remains years away pending regulatory approvals.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/wolin-east-oil-field-discovery-in-the-baltic-sea-awaits-regulatory-review

---
Cite as: Wolin East oil field exploration and regional tensions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/wolin-east-oil-field-discovery-and-exploration