Orlen and RG to compete over Czechowice Refinery

Oil industry players PKN Orlen and Rafineria Gdanska (RG) are competing ever more aggressively for domination of the lubricating oils market, the value of which exceeds zl. 1 billion. RG wants to expand its empire to include the oil division of Rafineria Czechowice, but will have to compete with PKN subsidiary Orlen Oil. RG has close ties with three refineries, all located in southern Poland and controlled by Nafta Polska. One of their more strategic fields of cooperation is the planned establishment of a new oil concern, Lotos. The concern would consist of Gorlice-based Glimar, and the Jaslo and Czechowice refineries. It seems, though, that in the case of the last refinery, RG's plans are on a collision course with those of PKN Orlen. A few years ago Orlen Oil started renting Czechowice refinery's oil division and now plans to buy it. (Puls Biznesu, p. 3) A.C.