Polish prosecutors are reviewing a complaint filed by state-controlled energy group Orlen over a long-term petrochemical contract that the company says could expose it to up to $1.2 billion in penalties. The 2021 agreement with chemicals producer PCC Exol covers supplies of ethylene oxide from Orlen’s Płock complex. State Assets Minister Wojciech Balczun said the company’s then-management knew the project would not be completed on schedule but still accepted the penalty provisions. The claim has not been established by prosecutors. Orlen has also asked investigators to examine a trip by company executives to Malaysia linked to a possible chemicals acquisition that never went ahead, including whether corruption played any role. The company says its auditors found no evidence that anyone received an improper financial benefit. The case comes as Orlen continues to restructure its petrochemical investments after scaling back the Olefins III project and replacing it with New Chemistry.
