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Polish energy delegation visits INL environmental developers

Mr. Maciej Wozniak, Oil and Gas Director within Poland's Ministry of Economy, outlines Poland's energy resources and current energy supply initiatives.

A delegation of 10 energy officials and oil company representatives from the Republic of Poland visited INL and were hosted by J.W. "Bill" Rogers, Jr., Associate Laboratory Director for Energy and Environment. Rogers welcomed the guests, and explained the Laboratory's major missions and business initiatives.

For more than three years now, INL scientists and engineers and Polish geologists and environmental scientists have discussed how Poland's natural environment can be safely used to store energy resources. During this latest visit, Polish representatives looked to capitalize on INL's geoscience and environmental leadership to help plan and engineer the country's underground petroleum reservoirs and to protect the area's environmental quality.

"We've hosted Polish geologists at INL, and we've visited Poland numerous times. However, to have government officials and CEOs from three major Polish companies visit INL clearly advances our relationship and potential partnership," said J.W. Rogers, Jr.

Event organizer and Integrated Environmental Science & Technology business line manager Rich Rankin said, "This visit was very timely since we are now at a crucial point in advancing one of Poland's most important energy initiatives. Our INL team and our Polish colleagues have worked hard to make it happen."

Mr. Maciej Wozniak, Oil and Gas Director within Poland's Ministry of Economy, talked with INL leaders about Poland's energy resources and supply initiatives. "We want to develop underground strategic oil and gas reserves in Poland's north-coast salt caverns. That's why we are coming to INL," Wozniak said.

Associate Laboratory Director for Energy & Environment J.W. "Bill" Rogers, Jr., leads a discussion of INL's major energy missions and business collaborations.

"We are required to have a 90-day supply of oil resources, enough to equal Poland's average daily use of fuels," said Wozniak. "And, INL scientists have shown how to deal with Poland's concern of ensuring a secure, environmentally friendly supply of oil for energy and environmental security."

Wozniak and oil company representatives discussed the flow of oil and gas supplies in Europe, especially the uncertainties associated with importing energy resources - and Poland's desire to secure access to the forms of energy it uses.

"We've had many discussions under our MOU with Poland, and this visit was the highest level of interaction we've had with those deciding the future course of energy preparedness in Poland," said Greg Stormberg, manager of Energy Resource Recovery and Management.

"The meeting also provided an opportunity to tell Poland's leaders about the ecological considerations associated with creating a Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and ways to use the brine generated during construction to potentially improve the water quality and ecological environment of the Baltic Sea," said Melinda Hamilton, INL's Distinctive Environmental Science Signature lead.

INL employees, Poland's Ministry of Economy and private Polish company representatives pose for a group photo during strategic energy reserve storage discussions.

Besides Poland's Ministry of Economy officials, leaders from three Polish companies also came to meet INL scientists and engineers. The companies are Grupa LOTOS S.A., Poland's second largest oil refiner and distributor of petroleum products; PERN "Przyjazn" S.A., owner of pipeline links in the Central European oil system; and Operator Logistyczny Paliw Plynnych (OLPP), Poland's logistical fuel operator and distributor, and network owner of 22 specialized fuel bases - Poland's largest network.