Orlen completes Wierzchowice storage expansion: Poland's gas storage capacity rises to 4.1 billion m³

Orlen announced on 4 November the completion of the expansion of the Wierzchowice Underground Gas Storage Facility (PMG) in Lower Silesia, the largest facility of its kind in Poland. According to the company and the Ministry of Energy, working capacity has grown by more than 60%, from 1.3 to 2.1 billion m³, and injection and withdrawal capacities have increased as well.

The figures. The project cost PLN 580 million and adds 800 million m³ of capacity. Poland's total storage capacity rises from about 3.3 to 4.1 billion m³, an increase of almost 25%. The works included three new injection and withdrawal wells, a modernised gas drying unit and additional compressor units. The main contractor was Orlen Technologie, the design was prepared by Orlen Gazoprojekt and the drilling was carried out by Exalo Drilling. According to Orlen, the facility was designed from the outset for further expansion, up to 4.2 billion m³.

What comes next. The Ministry of Energy says construction and assembly work has been completed, but the commissioning of the new installations and technical acceptance are still under way. Full use of the increased capacity also requires an amendment to the licence by the President of the Energy Regulatory Office (URE).

What officials say. “The development of storage facilities, LNG terminals and interconnectors strengthens our country's position as a regional gas hub,” said Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka. Orlen CEO Ireneusz Fąfara said the expansion increases national storage capacity “by about a quarter”.

Context. Wierzchowice is a reservoir storage facility: the gas is kept in geological structures previously used for production. The field was discovered in 1971 and converted into a storage facility in 1995. Poland has seven underground storage facilities for high-methane gas: five in depleted fields and two in salt caverns, at Kosakowo and Mogilno. According to Gramwzielone.pl, citing the AGSI+ platform, Poland's storage facilities were 99% full on 2 November, compared with 75% in the European Union.

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