The exploration, production, and transport of crude oil and natural gas will inevitably lead to intervention in the social and natural world that needs to be made with particular care. Even before we start our operations, we test the potential impact on people and the environment, taking social aspects and the protection of our cultural heritage into account. We are constantly working on improving all our processes to use resources even more efficiently and further minimize the impact on people and the environment.

Energy is used in the production, refinement, and transport of oil and gas and at several locations, we produce this energy ourselves. The most recent example is the commissioning of a highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the Emlichheim location in Germany.  Gas that could not previously be commercially utilized is now being used to generate power and steam. This process also works in the desert, for example in Nakhla (Libya), where we have installed a gas turbine generator plant that uses energy created from waste heat.

The construction of a pipeline will inevitably interfere with the natural environment. This is why we take comprehensive measures to restore the natural habitat in the affected areas. Our aim, when the work has been completed, is to ensure there is nothing left behind to remind anyone that an important gas pipeline had ever been laid. For the construction of the Baltic Sea Pipeline Link (OPAL), WINGAS is investing millions of Euros, in Brandenburg alone, in the conversion of 280 hectares of compensation land into valuable natural habitat, such as forests, heathlands, and wetlands.

Wintershall takes special safety measures in its exploration and production activities on the high seas. The company’s own internal standards go beyond the legal requirements and apply to the construction and operation of the facilities. These standards don’t just focus on protecting the staff, but also on protecting the environment.

A made-to-measure HSE concept is drawn up for every platform as early as the planning stage. Independent inspectors assess the possible dangers and risks. Responsibilities are defined precisely before any drilling begins; including conduct if an incident arises. Even though the platform operates largely automatically, particular attention is paid to the training, theoretical and practical, of the platform staff, for example, instruction and exercises on safety-relevant subjects such as fire suppression protection or handling hazardous substances. Survival training in ice-cold water is mandatory every four years for all those who work on offshore facilities. 

Wintershall has also installed an eight-phase barrier system for all production platforms that ensures safety. It begins with the safe design of the facility and covers everything from warning, protection and shut-down devices to precautions for evacuating the platform. Each barrier is composed of a combination of safety mechanisms and equipment. If one barrier fails, the next one takes effect. Even in the unlikely event of several barriers in the safety system failing at the same time, the integrity of the facility would still be intact at all times.