Kassel / Bunderhee. That extra bit of luck always required when exploring for oil and gas on this occasion failed experts from Wintershall AG and their partners on the Rheiderland Z 1 drilling site west of Bunderhee in Leer district. In the rock formations which are described by experts as "Rotliegend Sandstein" (Early Permian sandstone), geologists had expected to find a natural gas source at a depth of around 3820 metres: the finely porous rock deposit under exploration, however, proved to be empty of natural gas.

The erection of the drilling site was completed at the end of February 2003. Drilling operations commenced in October with the set-up of deep-water drilling apparatus. The now completed, slightly inclined drilling shaft has a final depth of 4265 metres. Analysis of the drilling cores and other examinations in the drilling hole confirm the findings: there is no gas in Rheiderland Z1.

In accordance with the conditions imposed by the public authorities the drilling shaft has been filled section by section with cement. The 58 metre-high drilling tower supplied by KCA-Deutag is still being serviced and will be dismantled in the next few weeks. Official supervision of the drilling site is being carried out by the Meppen offices of the Clausthal-Zellerfeld state mining authority.

Wintershall AG is the largest German producer of oil and natural gas and has been globally active in their exploration and production for more than 70 years. As the largest oil and gas deposits in Germany are concentrated in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, it is particularly in this region that the extraction and production of oil and natural gas is a traditional industry. Wintershall AG is a fully-owned subsidiary of BASF AG, based in Ludwigshafen. The headquarters of the company are located in Kassel. For more information, go to: www.wintershall.com