Poland’s largest refiner and energy firm, Orlen, has made a new oil field discovery in the western part of the country. The discovery was made in the Lubuskie region, next to the existing Rzeczyca field, which is known to hold 100,000 metric tons of oil.

With this new discovery, the total estimated reserves for the entire complex have increased to 500,000 tons of oil.

Once the deposit is fully developed, the site is expected to produce 16,500 tons of oil annually. Preliminary tests conducted at the site suggest further oil deposits discoveries in the area, as Orlen said.

“The Rzeczyca field is one of the biggest oil discoveries in Poland in more than a decade,” said Ireneusz Fafara, CEO of Orlen.

The majority of Orlen’s national oil extraction comes from oil deposits in western Poland.

Last year the group’s output of oil, condensate and natural gas liquids amounted to about 824,000 tons.