For nearly four months, preliminary seismic and geotechnical seabed surveys were conducted across the planned area of the Baltic East offshore wind farm. The work was carried out by three specialized vessels operated by a consortium of Polish companies: ORLEN Petrobaltic, Geofizyka Toruń, and MEWO. A highly qualified team of researchers, technicians, and operators completed over 1,000 kilometers of seismic measurements, along with numerous drillings and probes. The data collected will enable ORLEN Neptun to move ahead with the next critical stages of the project.
“Seabed surveys are one of the key stages in the development of our offshore wind farm project. The work in the Baltic Sea was carried out by a consortium of three Polish companies, underscoring the growing readiness of Poland’s supply chain to provide high-quality services to the offshore wind energy sector. It’s important that Polish companies are as involved as possible in our projects. The surveys were conducted in line with the highest standards and best practices, minimizing environmental impact. The results will allow us to move efficiently to the next stages of the investment,”
says Janusz Bil, President of the Management Board of ORLEN Neptun.
The preliminary seabed surveys for the Baltic East project began in late June and ran for over 15 weeks. During this time, three specialized vessels operated across the entire wind farm area. Their data collection and subsequent analysis will support the accurate interpretation of the site’s geological structure, the creation of technical documentation required for design work, and action plans for subsequent geological campaigns.
The multi-channel 2D seismic surveys were conducted by Geofizyka Toruń. In later stages, the collected data will be used to identify sediment layers and interpret potential geological hazards, such as boulder fields or shallow gas deposits.
UXO surveys, aimed at detecting unexploded ordnance, were carried out by MEWO. These assessments determined the seabed’s safety for planned geotechnical activities, identifying several dozen magnetic anomalies. Conducting UXO surveys prior to offshore geotechnical operations is a mandatory and critical step to ensure the safety of personnel, equipment, and infrastructure.
The final stage of fieldwork was performed by ORLEN Petrobaltic using the vessel Sylur. In total, over 1,200 meters of boreholes were drilled, reaching depths of up to 80 meters below the seabed. Laboratory testing of collected soil samples and interpretation of seismic data are currently underway.
The Baltic East project has already secured initial grid connection terms, a permit for the construction and use of artificial islands, structures, and devices, as well as permission for the laying and maintenance of cables within internal maritime waters and territorial seas.
In 2026, the ORLEN Group will launch Baltic Power – the most advanced offshore wind project in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea. The farm will add nearly 1.2 GW of capacity to the national power grid, equivalent to about 3% of Poland’s total electricity demand. Baltic East is a neighboring project with a potential installed capacity of nearly 1 GW, capable of supplying energy to around 1.25 million households.
The company also holds four additional offshore wind farm concessions in the Baltic Sea. With all concessions combined, ORLEN’s installed offshore wind capacity could reach approximately 6.4 GW. These projects align with the Group’s strategy, which targets 12.8 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2035.
Source: ceo.com.pl
