The LOTOS Group is the leader in exploration and production within the Polish zone of the Baltic Sea. All the three combined offshore hydrocarbon exploration, appraisal and production licenses and all the four licenses for production of hydrocarbons from oil and gas fields within the Polish Economic Zone of the Baltic Sea have been issued to the LOTOS Group’s subsidiaries and their joint ventures. Under the production licenses covering the B4/B6 gas fields, work is being carried out in partnership with CalEnergy Resources Poland Sp. z o.o. The project is to be delivered through special purpose vehicles Baltic Gas Sp. z o.o. and Baltic Gas Sp. z o.o. i wspólnicy Sp.k. LOTOS holds a 51% interest in the project.
Competition for the upstream business
Operators exploring for hydrocarbon deposits, appraising them and producing hydrocarbons from fields in Poland are mainly companies majority-owned by the Polish state. The leader is PGNiG, which:
- conducts exploration and appraisal work in 47 licenses (43 on its own and four in partnership with other entities). At the end of 2021, this represented 66% of all oil and gas exploration and prospecting licenses issued in Poland.
- has 188 licenses for oil and gas production from fields (185 on its own, three in partnership with other entities). At the end of 2021, this represented over 96% of all licenses issued.
Companies holding licenses for exploration and production of hydrocarbons from Polish fields. As at 31 December 2021
| Licenses for exploration and appraisal of hydrocarbon deposits | Licenses for production of hydrocarbons from Polish fields | |
| PGNiG S.A. | 47 (including 4 with Orlen Upstream) | 188 (including 3 with Orlen Upstream) |
| Orlen Upstream Sp. z o. o. | 12 (including 4 with PGNiG) | 3 (with PGNiG) |
| LOTOS Group | 3 (including 1 with PGNiG) | 4 |
| Northam Sp. z o.o. | 2 | |
| Gemini Resources Ltd. | 2 | |
| Palomar Capital – San Leon Energy BV | 2 | |
| San Leon Energy PLC | 2 | |
| UOS Energy Sp. Z o.o. | 2 | |
| Central European Petroleum Ltd | 1 | |
| KGHM Polska Miedź SA | 1 | |
| Trias Sp. z o.o. | 1 | 1 |
| ZOK Sp. z o.o. | 2 | |
| Total number of licenses awarded | 71 | 195 |
Source: Public Information Bulletin of the Climate Ministry, Reports and statements on licence awards – December 2021.
