Polish Orlen seeks new oil suppliers due to disruptions from Saudi Arabia
Polish energy group Orlen has accelerated diversification of oil purchases after disruptions in supplies from Saudi Arabia, which in recent years has been its largest supplier. The company is already sourcing additional raw material from the North Sea, Africa, Central Asia, and the Americas, trying to ensure uninterrupted operation of refineries in Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic.
According to Bloomberg, Orlen has intensified the search for alternative barrels after fighting in the Middle East disrupted Saudi oil logistics. Saudi Aramco in recent years has provided about 40% of the raw material processed by the Polish group.
Additional purchases became necessary after damage to the Saudi East-West pipeline, which connects fields in the east of the country with Red Sea ports and allows oil to be exported bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
Orlen has already contracted 16 additional cargoes of oil for its refineries. The raw material is to come from Norway, the United Kingdom, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and countries in the Americas. The company is also continuing to look for additional volumes on the spot market.
At the same time, the current situation has not caught Orlen completely dependent on Saudi Arabia. In August, the group concluded a three-year contract with Norway's Equinor for oil supplies from the Johan Sverdrup field. The volume of the deal may exceed 9 million tonnes per year and cover up to a quarter of ORLEN's total oil needs.
Orlen's diversification is also important for the Ukrainian fuel market, as the Polish group cooperates with Ukrainian state energy companies and supplies petroleum products to Ukraine.
In particular, on September 16, Ukrnafta announced that it had contracted Arctic diesel fuel produced by Orlen and has already started supplying it to Ukraine. The first batches have arrived in the country, and the Ukrainian company is building up stocks for the 2026/2027 season and expanding diversified import channels.
Ukrnafta emphasizes that it is accumulating the necessary fuel volumes in advance to ensure filling stations, business, and critical infrastructure during the winter season. Overall, in 2026, the company imported petroleum products from Poland, Lithuania, the USA, Romania, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
Thus, disruptions in Saudi supplies for Orlen do not directly mean a fuel shortage in Ukraine, but they highlight the importance of diversified logistics for the entire region. The Polish company, after abandoning Russian oil, purchases raw material in the Middle East, the North Sea, Africa, and both Americas.
