Orlen said on Saturday that it does not currently identify any threat to the continuity of crude oil supplies to the Group. The company told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that it is continuously monitoring the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and its potential consequences for global energy commodity markets.

Responding to questions regarding the situation following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the possible implications of the conflict, including for crude supplies from the Middle East, Orlen’s press office stressed that the Group is consistently implementing a strategy of feedstock diversification. This, it said, reduces the risk associated with potential disruptions in supply chains and enhances the Group’s operational flexibility.

The Płock-based refiner added that it is closely tracking geopolitical developments in the region and their potential impact on international oil and gas markets. “At present, we do not identify any risks to the continuity of crude oil supplies to the Orlen Group,” the company stated.

Orlen underlined that it maintains a geographically diversified supply portfolio. Crude processed at its production facilities is sourced from multiple regions, including the Mediterranean basin, North and West Africa, Scandinavia, as well as from domestic production. The Group also highlighted that it has long-term crude supply agreements in place with Saudi Aramco and Equinor, which cover a significant portion of its demand, with the remaining volumes secured on the spot market.

According to the company, diversification of feedstock sources constitutes a core element of its preparedness for a range of geopolitical scenarios, including a protracted conflict or further escalation. However, it noted that it does not disclose detailed information regarding crude supply volumes broken down by individual contracts or geographical directions.

On Saturday morning, the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had commenced a “major combat operation” and called on the Iranian people to take control of the country. Tehran responded with attacks on states in the region, including US military bases.

According to Reuters, vessels in the Persian Gulf on Saturday received radio communications broadcast by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warning that they would not be permitted to transit the strategic waterway. “No vessel is authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” the message from Tehran stated, as confirmed to Middle Eastern outlet The National by Farhad Patel, director of Dubai-based shipping agency Sharaf.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage approximately 33 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Around one fifth of global crude oil supplies transit the waterway, making it one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

When, in June 2025, the United States struck three Iranian uranium enrichment facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, joining ongoing Israeli operations aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme, Orlen said it sourced crude from the Middle East under its contract with Saudi Aramco, as well as natural gas under its Qatari agreement. Only LNG cargoes, the company noted at the time, transit the Strait of Hormuz.

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