We break new ground – in the desert of North Africa, in the waves of the North Sea, or in the permafrost of Siberia. With our flexible, intelligent approach, we successfully develop innovative technical solutions for any challenge. This makes us a sought-after partner in the industry.

In addition to its geographical and technical focus, strategic partnerships are an important basis of Wintershall’s success. We are an accepted and sought-after partner – for example in Russia, Qatar, or Norway, where we have formed alliances with both government enterprises and international companies.

Our strategic partnerships are so successful because everyone contributes what they are best at, and thus complements the other partner. And we know how to take partnerships to new levels. Our partnership with Gazprom is a living alliance with excellent prospects for the future. Together, we share technical know-how, financial risk, and business success.

Under the banner of thinking, acting, and working together, our partnership with OAO Gazprom of more than 20 years has always produced successful results. The world’s largest natural gas company has over 70 percent of Russia’s gas reserves and guarantees Europe's gas supplies. Our great technological expertise makes us the perfect reliable partner. By working together, we win Russian colleagues who have local knowledge – of rock formations and climatic conditions – but also friends with whom we realize cultural projects to promote German-Russian exchanges.

We cooperate with Gazprom along the value chain, from production through transport, to sales in joint ventures. The annual production of the Joint Venture Achimgaz and the project Yuzhno Russkoye amounted to around 26 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2010. The two deposits hold reserves of up to 800 billion cubic meters of gas. As a comparison, this volume is enough to provide all German households with the energy for around 25 years. Our supply agreements gives us access to these sources until 2030 and beyond. The joint Nord Stream pipeline through the Baltic Sea will take the gas directly from Western Siberia to Germany. It is ultimately sold in the European market by the German-Russian gas trading companies WINGAS, WIEE, and WIEH. Business success for Gazprom and Wintershall – greater energy security for Europe.

Gazprom and Wintershall established the Achimgaz joint venture in 2003. The 50-50 joint venture produces natural gas and condensate in Siberia’s difficult Achimov formation. Extreme cold and the complexity of the rock layers pose a challenge to both the experience of the Russian workforce in dealing with the Arctic climate and the geological expertise of Wintershall employees. Once the production site has been fully completed as planned, around 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 40 million tonnes of condensate can be produced here in the next 40 years. Achimgaz: a milestone of cooperation achieved through teamwork, mutual trust, and respect.

The South Stream gas pipeline will run through the Black Sea and ensure direct gas transports between Russia and Southern and Southeast Europe from 2015 onward. In addition to its interest in the construction of the offshore gas pipeline, Wintershall will receive additional gas volumes for the gas trading company WIEE. This will allow the Wintershall subsidiary to further strengthen its position in Bulgaria and Romania and tap into new markets in Southeast Europe.

Another national example is the joint production project with RWE Dea off the German North Sea coast, which reconciles ecological and economic interests. In the middle of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea, we and our partner and the operator RWE Dea produce oil from Germany’s largest oil reservoir, Mittelplate. Over 20 million tonnes of crude oil have been produced here since 1987. The highly sensitive tidal flats require offshore production that is tailored to the nature reserve and guarantees that the resources are extracted in an environmentally responsible way.