ORLEN and Equinor discover Sissel gas field in North Sea, boosting Norwegian output and strengthening secure gas supplies to Poland.
ORLEN Upstream Norway, working in partnership with Equinor, has announced the discovery of a new natural gas accumulation on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, reinforcing ORLEN’s upstream position in the region. The discovery, named Sissel, is expected to deliver around one billion cubic meters of natural gas, which is planned to be transported to Poland through the Baltic Pipe. This finding aligns with ORLEN’s broader strategy of enhancing supply security for Poland and neighboring Central European markets through diversified and reliable gas sources.
The Sissel discovery was made within the PL1137 license area in the central North Sea, approximately 250 kilometers southwest of Stavanger. Despite challenging offshore conditions during the storm season, drilling operations were completed efficiently within 39 days. The exploration well reached a total depth of 4,359 meters and confirmed the presence of natural gas with condensate admixtures. Preliminary resource estimates place the size of the discovery between 6.3 and 28.3 million barrels of oil equivalent, highlighting its commercial potential.
According to Ireneusz Fafara, President of the ORLEN Management Board, the Sissel discovery represents an important milestone for the company’s Norwegian operations and its long-term strategic objectives. He emphasized that Norwegian gas plays a critical role in maintaining stable energy supplies, particularly during periods of peak demand. Earlier this year, Poland experienced record-high gas consumption from the power sector, industry, and households, with daily demand reaching as much as 100 million cubic meters. In response, ORLEN increased imports, including volumes delivered via the Baltic Pipe, underscoring the importance of upstream assets on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. As a company central to Poland’s energy security, ORLEN remains committed to expanding cooperation with Norwegian partners based on its own production capabilities.
From a development perspective, the Sissel discovery offers significant synergies with existing infrastructure. The field could be developed as a tie-back to the Utgard field, located roughly five kilometers to the north. Utgard itself is connected to the Sleipner complex, one of ORLEN’s most important production hubs in Norway. The Sleipner hub comprises several producing fields, including Sleipner Øst, Sleipner Vest, Gungne, and Gina Krog, and accounted for nearly 30 percent of ORLEN’s total Norwegian output in 2025. Additionally, ORLEN Upstream Norway plans to bring the Eirin field on stream later this year, utilizing existing Gina Krog and Sleipner facilities.
Wieslaw Prugar, Member of the ORLEN Management Board responsible for upstream activities, noted that the Sissel discovery validates the company’s exploration strategy, which prioritizes prospects located near established installations. Developing Sissel as a tie-back would enable faster production start-up while significantly reducing capital expenditure. Furthermore, the project could help counterbalance natural production declines at Utgard, effectively extending the operational life of existing infrastructure and improving overall asset efficiency. These synergies support ORLEN’s objective of maximizing economic returns while ensuring long-term supply stability.
The PL1137 license is held jointly by ORLEN Upstream Norway and Equinor, each owning a 50 percent interest, with Equinor acting as operator. ORLEN obtained its stake following the acquisition of KUFPEC Norway in 2024. Any future development of the Sissel discovery will depend on further economic, technical, and operational assessments by the license partners before a final investment decision is taken.
