Polish Briefing: Orlen to expand its Olefin plant I Gas TSO’s annual auction I NATO summit to be protected by Polish special forces

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The Płock Refinery. Picture by PKN Orlen
The Płock Refinery. Picture by PKN Orlen

Orlen Group wants to produce bioplastic

Orlen decided to increase the scale of expansion of the Olefin complex at its production plant in Płock. This is a response to the growing market demand for petrochemical products, which are the basis for the production of everyday items, such as car parts or household appliances.

„Global trends indicate that demand for high-demand petrochemical products will grow dynamically. By 2050, the value of the petrochemicals and basic plastics market has the potential to double. At the same time, in the next 10 years, the conversion of oil to traditional fuels will gradually decrease. We are carefully analyzing these changes and intensifying our activities in order to have the largest possible share in the petrochemical business and to increase revenues generated by this segment at a rapid pace. Therefore, we are expanding the scope of work related to the expansion of the Olefin complex. We will upgrade all the existing accompanying infrastructure to make our complex the most modern and environmentally friendly in Europe. In this way, we will bolster our position as a regional leader in petrochemical production, while strengthening the competitiveness of our Group and the Polish economy,” said Daniel Obajtek, CEO of the Orlen Group.

Petrochemical products, produced at the Olefin complex, will be the basis for more advanced plastics, used for the manufacture of everyday items including detergents and hygiene and medical products, as well as synthetic fibers for the production of clothing or protective masks. Automotive parts, household appliances and electronic devices are also manufactured with the use of the plastics.

The implementation of this investment will also make it possible to take advantage of the synergies Orlen has thanks to merging with Lotos. The plant from Gdańsk will supply a significant volume of kerosine for the production of olefins. Olefins, in turn, will be one of the raw materials necessary for the production of polyethylene LDPE, used to manufacture foils, sacks, canisters and food packaging.

The implementation of the Olefin complex, in accordance with current assumptions, will significantly increase the petrochemical potential of the Orlen Group. The investment will increase the production of base petrochemicals in Płock by more than 60 percent and by more than 30 percent in the entire Orlen Group, including the Group’s operations in the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Once it is completed in 2027, Orlen will have one of the most modern and efficient European petrochemical plants in Europe, enabling it to build a competitive advantage and strengthen its position as a regional leader in the petrochemical segment.

Orlen / Jacek Perzyński

Gaz-System: July 3 annual product auctions

The annual product auctions will start on Monday 3 July at 9 a.m. Polish time on two platforms for booking capacity on intersystem connections. The capacity allocation on the Polish-German border at Lasów and Mallnow points and on the Polish-Slovak border at Vyrava will take place via the RDF platform. Capacity at the remaining interconnection points will be offered on the GSA platform.

According to Gaz-System, thanks to the operator’s previous efforts to build energy independence through diversification of gas supply sources, it is possible to provide increased interconnector capacity. Despite the lack of supplies from the East and the closure of interconnection points with Belarus, the company ensured the continuity and safety of gas transmission.

The operator of gas transmission pipelines Gaz-System, owned 100% by the state treasury,  is a strategic company responsible for the transmission of natural gas. Gaz-System manages the most important gas pipelines in Poland and the Baltic pipeline. It also owns the LNG terminal in Świnoujście.

Polish Press Agency / Jacek Perzyński

Polish specialists will secure the NATO summit in Vilnius and will train in the Suwałki Gap

„Poland will send a contingent of Special Forces to Lithuania to protect the NATO summit. The decision made by President Andrzej Duda, the Prime Minister and the head of the Ministry of Defense. There is also a chance that Poland’s and Lithuania’s presidents will discuss security matters,” the Polish President’s BBN office said.

BBN also reported that the presence of Polish Special Forces is due to the situation in Belarus and the presence there of large units of the Russian paramilitary organization, the Wagner group. It is not known exactly what kind of special unit will be sent to secure the Vilnius summit.

After the meeting, the head of BBN Jacek Siewiera met with the media. „As a result of international agreements by President Andrzej Duda, Poland will soon send a contingent of special forces to Lithuania, carrying out both exercise tasks and those related to the protection and strengthening of the defense of the NATO summit in Vilnius,” he said.

He also added that Polish specialists would carry out tasks related to air transport, helicopters and anti-drone systems. „The implementation of this task was agreed on with the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defens,” said the Secretary of State. The soldiers of the Polish Special Forces are also to exercise in the area of the Suwałki Gap, which is the junction of the borders of Poland and Lithuania between the Królewiecki region and Belarus, which is particularly vulnerable to attack from the East.

The NATO summit will take place on 11-12 July 2023 in Vilnius.

BBN / Pplska Zbrojna / Bartosz Siemieniuk