Iran oil arrives in Gdansk as Poland diversifies supplies

WARSAW-Reuters

Poland’s biggest oil refiner PKN Orlen said on April 13 that a shipment of 130,000 tons of Iranian crude oil has arrived at the Baltic seaport of Gdansk.

Most of the oil refined in Polish refineries comes via pipelines from Russia, but state-run PKN Orlen and Lotos are increasingly buying from other sources, including Iran and the United States.

“Delivery from Iran has become a fact. Oil from the Middle East gives us many opportunities. First of all, it enables diversification of delivery directions and increases the energy security of the state,” PKN said in a statement.

The Iranian oil, which is lighter than the Russian crude and contains less sulphur, will be refined at PKN’s plant at Plock, northwest of Warsaw. PKN said that earlier tests of the Iranian oil “confirmed its significant potential.”