ORLEN Expands Wierzchowice Gas Storage Capacity to 2.1 Billion Cubic Metres
ORLEN has completed a major expansion of the Wierzchowice Underground Gas Storage Facility in Poland, increasing its storage capacity from 1.3 billion to 2.1 billion cubic metres. The approximately PLN 580 million investment represents an important development in the country’s natural gas infrastructure and strengthens its ability to maintain reliable energy supplies amid changing market conditions and geopolitical uncertainties.
The project has increased the capacity of Poland’s largest underground gas storage facility by more than 60%. It has also contributed to a 25% increase in the country’s overall natural gas storage capacity, bringing the national total to approximately 4.1 billion cubic metres. The expanded infrastructure provides additional flexibility for managing gas supplies and responding to fluctuations in consumption across residential, commercial, industrial and power generation sectors.
Located in Lower Silesia, southwestern Poland, the Wierzchowice facility plays an important role in balancing natural gas supply and demand. Its expanded capacity enables ORLEN to maintain larger reserves and manage seasonal variations in consumption more effectively. The investment also improves the facility’s ability to receive gas during periods of lower demand and deliver it into the national transmission network when consumption increases.
The expansion comes as European energy markets continue to face challenges associated with international conflicts, changing supply arrangements and fluctuations in commodity prices. Reliable storage infrastructure is increasingly important for countries seeking to strengthen energy independence, diversify supply sources and reduce exposure to unexpected disruptions.
Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the ORLEN Management Board, highlighted the importance of developing domestic energy infrastructure and strengthening the country’s ability to respond to external market developments.
According to Fąfara, energy markets are influenced by geopolitical developments, international tensions and potential interruptions to supply chains. These factors can affect commodity prices and broader economic stability. ORLEN is therefore continuing to expand its domestic gas production, diversify supply routes and invest in infrastructure that supports the country’s long-term energy requirements.
He explained that the completed Wierzchowice expansion increases Poland’s total gas storage capacity by approximately one-quarter. This additional capability strengthens energy security for households and businesses while supporting the country’s broader objective of achieving greater energy independence.
Major Infrastructure Upgrades Increase Storage Capacity
The expansion involved several infrastructure improvements designed to increase both the volume of gas that can be stored and the operational performance of the facility. One of the main elements of the project was the drilling of three additional wells dedicated to gas injection and withdrawal.
The investment also included upgrades to the existing gas dehydration system and the installation of additional compressor units. These improvements enable the facility to handle larger gas volumes and improve the efficiency of operations.
Gas injection and withdrawal capabilities are particularly important for underground storage facilities because they determine how quickly gas can be transferred between storage formations and the national transmission network. Increasing these capabilities allows operators to respond more effectively to changing market requirements and periods of elevated demand.
The upgraded infrastructure provides ORLEN with greater flexibility in replenishing stored gas supplies and delivering natural gas to customers. This is especially relevant during winter months, when household heating requirements and electricity generation can increase overall consumption.
The facility has also been designed to accommodate further development. Its storage capacity could potentially be expanded to 4.2 billion cubic metres, providing an opportunity for additional infrastructure development if future market requirements justify the investment.
The project supports the objectives of Poland’s Energy Policy until 2040, which include strengthening the country’s energy infrastructure and developing underground gas storage and withdrawal capabilities.
Wiesław Prugar, Vice President of the ORLEN Management Board responsible for Upstream, emphasized the investment’s contribution to national energy security.
He stated that the approximately PLN 580 million project has delivered an additional 800 million cubic metres of natural gas storage capacity. The expanded facility is expected to support reliable access to natural gas for households and businesses while strengthening the resilience of the country’s energy system.
Prugar also noted that ORLEN is Poland’s largest natural gas producer and importer and remains the biggest user of the country’s underground gas storage infrastructure.
ORLEN Group Companies Deliver the Expansion Project
Several companies within the ORLEN Group participated in the implementation of the Wierzchowice expansion, with additional support from subcontractors and local businesses.
ORLEN Technologie served as the main contractor and was responsible for supervising the project. ORLEN Gazoprojekt prepared the engineering design, while Exalo Drilling carried out the drilling activities required for the additional injection and withdrawal wells.
The project also involved numerous subcontractors, including companies operating in the surrounding region. Their participation supported the construction and installation activities required to upgrade the facility.
The cooperation between the ORLEN Group companies and external contractors enabled the completion of the infrastructure improvements, including the installation of additional equipment and modifications to existing operational systems.
Wierzchowice is a depleted-field underground gas storage facility, meaning natural gas is stored in geological formations that previously contained commercially produced hydrocarbons.
The original gas field was discovered in 1971. Following approximately 23 years of production, it was converted into an underground gas storage facility in 1995. Since then, the site has become an important component of Poland’s natural gas infrastructure.
ORLEN owns the facility and is its principal user. The company operates the storage site to balance fluctuations between natural gas production, imports and customer demand, helping maintain continuity of supply throughout the year.
Seven Underground Storage Facilities Support Poland’s Gas System
The completed Wierzchowice expansion strengthens the wider underground gas storage network operated by the ORLEN Group. The company’s storage system consists of seven facilities designed to accommodate high-methane natural gas.
Five facilities are based on depleted hydrocarbon fields. These include Wierzchowice, Strachocina, Husów, Swarzów and Brzeźnica. The remaining two facilities, located at Kosakowo and Mogilno, use salt cavern technology.
Salt cavern storage facilities are developed within underground salt deposits, where specially created cavities provide suitable conditions for storing natural gas. Depleted-field facilities, meanwhile, use geological formations that previously held natural gas or other hydrocarbons.
Together, these facilities provide the infrastructure required to manage natural gas reserves and support the stability of the national energy system.
Underground gas storage is particularly important because natural gas consumption varies throughout the year. Demand typically increases during colder periods when heating requirements rise, while consumption patterns can also change depending on industrial activity and electricity generation needs.
Storage facilities allow gas suppliers to build reserves when market demand is relatively low and withdraw the stored volumes when additional supplies are required. This capability helps reduce pressure on supply infrastructure and provides an additional level of protection against unexpected disruptions.
Domestic Production and LNG Imports Strengthen Supply Diversification
The expanded Wierzchowice facility forms part of ORLEN’s broader strategy to strengthen natural gas supply security through domestic production, international imports and infrastructure development.
The company’s natural gas supply portfolio includes production in Poland and on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, alongside imported liquefied natural gas, primarily sourced from the United States.
Combining these supply channels with underground storage capacity provides greater flexibility in managing the country’s natural gas requirements. It also helps reduce dependence on individual supply routes and strengthens the ability to respond to changing market conditions.
In 2025, ORLEN supplied the Polish market with 8.6 billion cubic metres of natural gas produced by the company. This volume represented approximately 40% of Poland’s domestic natural gas demand.
The expansion of Wierzchowice therefore complements ORLEN’s production and import activities by increasing the country’s ability to store and manage available supplies.
With the additional 800 million cubic metres of storage capacity now operational, Poland has strengthened an important component of its energy infrastructure. The project also establishes a foundation for potential future expansion, supporting the country’s efforts to improve supply resilience and maintain reliable natural gas availability for households, businesses and industrial consumers.
The completion of the Wierzchowice project represents a significant infrastructure milestone for ORLEN and reinforces the strategic role of underground gas storage in Poland’s evolving energy system.
Source Link: https://www.orlen.pl/
