The energy safety operation has been successful. The subject was heated in the media for many years, until everyone was confused to pieces in their heads.
No wonder it was an informational avalanche that filled us with descriptions of how we were threatened by energy, addiction, buying oil or gas from Russia. We were told to change that, although for anesthesia we were assured: we do not want to quit Russian oil or gas completely, we want to “balance” it, we want to defend ourselves from “sangage”. Politicians, so delicate to public opinion, deliberately destroyed all energy relations with the east.
This was expected to be a diversion, but present the smokescreen fell and in its place was published “derusification”. It means breaking all, especially energy ties and implanting a deep conflict with Russia. And today, it's this strong word that even serious state institutes usage openly. They can talk openly now, due to the fact that the diversion is like a fist to the nose.
In the article “How is the old friend?” (How's the old lady's friend? | Think Poland) I described how diversification in the Czech Republic ends. But in Poland we went much further, we had already cut off completely from oil and gas, and shortly besides from LPG from the east. As a result, the ‘hangi’ refinery manufacture on the thin thread of the offshore oil terminal and the Pomorskie pipeline. And this is very tense, due to the fact that Naftoport in Gdańsk works on full whistles, and even above its capabilities, so that there is not adequate oil for the Schwedt refinery. In the media on diversification, it's quiet, it's not surprising, the sponsors of an earlier avalanche of information have achieved their goals and now they want to consolidate them, hence that aggressive word.
And the situation is not happy. This was expected to be a diversification of supplies, and present it is the only combination of Polish refineries with oil sources. And it is exposed to many dangers, of which it is silent! Yes, present refineries can buy from anyone in the world, specified a “freedom” offered us a fresh energy safety model. Only if we were the first in line erstwhile buying from Russia, due to the fact that we were unavoidable, this is how we stand at the end of a series of petents. We don't have the means, like Americans, to scare a small bit and get better conditions. We don't have money like the nipponese or the Chinese to invest in mining and get a more favourable price. All we gotta do is pay more.
And inexpensive and certain Russian oil was the only competitive advantage of the refining manufacture in our region. For plants in countries without access to the sea, specified as Hungary, Slovakia or the Czech Republic, it was even a reason to live. First of all, it's cheaper due to the fact that it was the closest, and our east neighbour has it in her beard. About this economical basis of our existence of silence – not a mumble, but Germany straight writes that American oil, replacing Russian oil, is 1 3rd more expensive. That's why commercial investors, like Shell, get free of their share of the refinery there due to the fact that she lost her attractiveness as inexpensive oil.
Deprived of its refineries, our region will be powerless against globalisation and fresh processing capacity of specified tycoons as China, Saudi Arabia or India. If it seems impossible to anyone, let him look at Polish coal, where we have immense own deposits and the coal and energy manufacture is closed. In the refining industry, we have just been deprived of the only competitive advantage – access to inexpensive Russian oil. And that is simply a threat to energy safety in its fundamental economical dimension. And the first step to the end of the Polish refining industry. The fertilizer manufacture follows the same path, possibly a small faster.
Before the implementation of today's "diversification", the diversification of supply was much more rational and beneficial for us. In 2005, although relationship could send nominally 42 million tons, we transferred 51 million tons. There were 18 million tonnes of oil flowing to Polish refineries, 24 million tonnes of oil flowing to Germany. There was besides oil exports from Russia – 9 million tonnes, on which Naftoport was earning. The national economy was primarily gaining on specified a arrangement, as abroad contractors and money were coming to Poland. Today, costs have gone up, let alone lost investments in pipeline infrastructure, which (especially the east thread) lies barely utilized in the ground and starts rusting.
Andrzej Szczęsniak
Think Poland, No. 51-52 (15-29.12.2024)
