Poland’s Orlen locks in Norwegian crude supplies with Equinor amid oil market volatility

August 20, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Poland’s Orlen has secured up to a quarter of its crude needs through a new deal with Norway’s state-owned energy giant Equinor, which expands the duo’s strategic energy ties while ensuring the Polish player’s long-term access to Norwegian oil and strengthening European energy cooperation and security of supply.

Equinor has signed an agreement with Orlen for the sale of crude oil from the Johan Sverdrup field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), which will run for three years from the beginning of September 2026, enabling annual supplies from 5 million tonnes to over 9 million tonnes, equivalent to up to one-quarter of the Polish firm’s annual crude oil demand.

While further commercial terms are confidential between the parties, the deal also allows for the possibility of supplying other crude grades produced from fields on the NCS, widening the energy partnership between the two companies and underlining the continued importance of reliable energy supplies from Norway to Poland and Europe.

Irene Rummelhoff, Executive Vice President for Marketing, Midstream and Processing at Equinor, commented: “This agreement is another example of how energy from the Norwegian continental shelf contributes to security of supply for Europe. We are very pleased to strengthen our relationship with Orlen through this agreement for sales of crude to their refineries in Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic.”

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Johan Sverdrup is described by Equinor as the oil field with the highest production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, making it a significant contributor to European energy supply. The field is also known for highly energy-efficient production with significantly lower CO2 emissions from production than the global average, mainly due to power from shore.

Ireneusz Fąfara, President of Orlen’s Management Board, emphasized: “A secure future begins with decisions made in advance. That is why we are strengthening the Orlen Group’s access to stable sources of crude oil from Norway, which may account for up to one-quarter of our annual demand.

“Equinor is a reliable partner, with whom we are building a relationship based on shared responsibility for the region’s energy security. This agreement is a concrete response to global market instability and demonstrates that resilience in the energy sector is built through long-term cooperation with partners that provide predictable supplies and operational reliability.”

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The crude oil agreement with Orlen builds on Equinor’s wider cooperation with Polish partners across oil, natural gas and lower-carbon solutions, and reflects the role Norway plays as a long-term, reliable energy partner for the other country.

The Norwegian state-owned firm is also engaged in the development of renewables in Poland; thus, it is developing the Bałtyk offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea with Polenergia.

Supplies from Norway are part of Orlen’s strategy to strengthen energy security not just in Poland but also across the region by diversifying supply sources and working with stable, reliable partners.

“The importance of long-term contracts from predictable supply sources is growing, particularly amid continued volatility in global oil markets and geopolitical tensions affecting the security of transport routes,” highlighted the Polish firm.