Swinoujscie: The Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) on Monday announced it has made a major oil discovery off the Polish Baltic coast.

According to Emirates News Agency, the results of test drilling indicate that the recoverable reserves of crude oil and natural gas are estimated at 200 million barrels of oil equivalent.

CEP revealed that the Wolin East offshore oil field is situated around 6 kilometers from the port city of Swinoujscie, located in the extreme north-west of Poland on the border with Germany. The company noted that this site is estimated to represent “the largest conventional hydrocarbon field” ever discovered in Poland and is considered “one of the largest conventional oil discoveries in Europe in the past decade.”

The mining operations at the Wolin East field are projected to begin in three to four years. Once operational, the field could potentially cover 4 percent to 5 percent of Poland’s annual oil demand for several years, providing a significant boost to the country’s energy resources.