The ORLEN Group has completely phased out Russian crude oil from its supply chain as of July 1, 2025, securing energy independence for Poland and the wider Central and Eastern European region.
In a landmark achievement for regional energy security, the ORLEN Group announced today that it has completely ceased all imports of crude oil from Russia. Effective July 1, 2025, ORLEN's entire refining network, encompassing facilities in Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic, will operate exclusively on non-Russian crude, marking a decisive step towards bolstering the energy independence of Central and Eastern Europe.
The final contract for Russian oil deliveries, a twelve-year agreement with Rosneft supplying the Litvínov refinery in the Czech Republic, expired on June 30, 2025. This historic expiration signifies the culmination of a strategic and persistent effort by ORLEN to diversify its supply chain and eliminate its reliance on Russian energy resources.
The journey to this independence has been a multifaceted undertaking. While ORLEN's Polish and Lithuanian refineries had already been processing 100% non-Russian crude since April 2023, the Litvínov plant in the Czech Republic presented a unique challenge due to its historical reliance on the Druzhba pipeline and limited alternative pipeline infrastructure.
Following Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the Czech government had requested a temporary exemption from EU sanctions to ensure stable fuel supply. This exemption provided crucial time for the state-owned company MERO, responsible for the Czech Republic’s pipeline infrastructure, to expand the capacity of the Transalpine Pipeline (TAL). The TAL pipeline facilitates crude deliveries from the Italian port of Trieste, transporting oil overland through Austria and Germany to connect with the Czech Republic's system.
Ireneusz Fafara, CEO and President of the ORLEN Management Board, emphasized the significance of this milestone. "We have concluded the last legacy contract for Russian crude deliveries to the Czech Republic. As of July 1, 2025, the ORLEN Group – and, through this, our entire region – will be free from Russian oil," Fafara stated.
During this period of infrastructure development, ORLEN undertook significant technological upgrades at the Litvínov refinery. The company carried out extensive modifications and tested a variety of crude blends to enable the plant, which had historically relied solely on Russian crude, to process alternative grades of oil. This proactive approach allowed ORLEN to fully transition to alternative supplies in March 2025, coinciding with the launch of the TAL Plus extension.
Today, the Czech refineries are efficiently processing crude sourced from a wide array of global regions, including the North Sea, the Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia, South and North America, and Africa. This widespread diversification significantly mitigates geopolitical risks and enhances the stability of energy supply for the entire region.
