Orlen reports record natural gas production from its own fields in 2024

In 2024, Orlen Group's total natural gas production in Poland and abroad increased to 8.6 billion cubic meters, marking a 20% rise compared to the previous year. Orlen’s new strategy aims to boost gas production to 12 billion cubic meters by 2030 and maintain this level until 2035.

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06 march 2025   |   18:27   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. Orlen Upstream Norway

— The upstream segment is one of the key pillars of Orlen Group’s strategy through 2035. It plays a crucial role in ensuring Poland’s energy security and serves as a transitional fuel source for responsible energy transformation. In recent years, Orlen Group’s natural gas production, both domestic and international, has accounted for nearly half of Poland’s annual gas demand. The significant increase in domestic gas production in 2024 represents a major step toward achieving the company's long-term objectives. The strategy targets a further 40% increase in gas extraction compared to the current, already record-breaking level. To achieve this, we are focusing on investments primarily in Poland and Norway, while also exploring hydrocarbon development opportunities in North America. This could provide access to vast resources and enable efficient gas deliveries to Poland in the form of LNG — said Wiesław Prugar, Management Board Member for Upstream at Orlen.

The surge in production was driven by Orlen Upstream Norway’s operations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. In 2024, the company extracted over 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas, representing a more than 45% increase compared to 2023. Meanwhile, Orlen Group’s domestic gas production reached approximately 3.3 billion cubic meters, remaining at a similar level to the previous year. Gas production from Orlen's assets in Canada and Pakistan also remained stable year-over-year, at approximately 0.4 billion cubic meters in each country.

A key priority is increasing domestic gas production, which, according to Orlen’s strategy, is set to rise to 4 billion cubic meters annually by 2030. This will be facilitated by the ongoing consolidation and optimization of Poland’s previously fragmented upstream assets under a single entity—Orlen Upstream Polska. This structural reorganization will enhance operational efficiency and improve resource management. Orlen currently holds 223 hydrocarbon exploration and production licenses in Poland.

The Norwegian Continental Shelf remains a strategic region for Orlen’s natural gas expansion. Orlen Upstream Norway currently holds 100 licenses and operates 20 production fields. By 2030, Orlen plans to increase its Norwegian gas output to approximately 6 billion cubic meters annually. Gas from Orlen’s Norwegian operations is a key supply source for Poland via the Baltic Pipe.

In recent years, domestic gas production has covered approximately 20% of Poland’s total gas demand, underscoring its importance for national energy security. The discovery and exploitation of Polish gas fields not only enhance supply security but also provide financial benefits to local governments. Hydrocarbon producers are required to pay an extraction fee, which is distributed among municipalities (60%), counties and provinces (15% each), and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (10%).

In 2024, Orlen contributed over PLN 110.5 million in extraction fees for oil and gas production. Additionally, property tax revenues from infrastructure related to hydrocarbon production added another PLN 89.5 million to local budgets. A further PLN 18.8 million in extraction fees was allocated to the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management due to Orlen Petrobaltic’s offshore operations on the Polish Baltic Shelf.

Orlen conducts upstream activities across four continents, with assets in Poland, Norway, Lithuania, and Ukraine in Europe; Canada in North America; Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in Asia; and Libya in Africa. As of the end of 2024, Orlen's total proven hydrocarbon reserves amounted to 1,306.9 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), of which 73% was natural gas and 27% crude oil and NGLs. These reserves include 710 million boe in Poland, 407.8 million boe in Norway, 147.7 million boe in Canada, 40.5 million boe in Pakistan, and 1 million boe in Lithuania.

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