Our core regions
We take you on a discovery tour of Wintershall's world of exploration and production.
Dates
- 20.05.2012Kassel MarathonKassel, Germany
- 04.06.201225th World Gas Conference Kuala Lumpur
- 09.06.2012Documenta 13Kassel, Germany
Health, Safety and Environment
We believe in a sustainable future. We can only achieve this by protecting the environment and the health and safety of all employees.
Our employees are as varied as the professions they work in. But each of them makes a significant contribution to our Company's overall success.
Drilling
Getting to oil and gas is not an easy task as the deposits are deep below the surface, and can only be accessed through the hard layers of rock. This is why the drill bit is such an important tool used in exploration and exploitation. It is located at the bottom end of the drill rod assembly, which is rotated by a diesel or electric motor next to the derrick. The rotational movement and the enormous weight of the drill rods help the drill bit wear down the rock centimeter by centimeter.
In most cases, roller-cone bits (owing their name to three rollers, which are fitted with teeth of steel) are used for drilling into the ground and grinding the rock into cuttings. They have bearings and many moving parts, which means that in demanding formations they have to be replaced after one or two days. For particularly hard rock, diamond or PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact, or synthetic diamond) bits are used. The absence of moving parts makes these bits significantly more durable. However, their strength comes at a price with one drill bit costing as much as € 100,000. A “special variant” are core drill bits w used during exploration to bring drill cores to the surface, which give geologists valuable insights into the composition of the rock below.
Drilling rigs
Above the ground, drilling rigs are typical indicators of a deposit. They ensure not only that the drill bit is propelled and the drill rods are inserted, but also that the cuttings are removed from the well. Today, various techniques are used for deep wells including the commonly used rotary method, whereby rotational movement is created above ground and transmitted to the drill bit through the drill rod assembly. Measuring nine meters each, the individual sections of the assembly are made of extremely hard steel and once the bit has advanced by the length of one section, a new rod will have to be is added to the assembly.
While drilling is in progress, drilling mud is pumped through the rod down to the drill bit. It cools and lubricates the drill bit and also rises again on the outside of the rod, taking the cuttings with it to the surface. The drilling mud is filtered at the drilling rig and geologists regularly analyze its composition. Turbine drilling is an alternative to rotary drives. With this method, the drill bit is driven by a turbine fitted directly above it. The rotational movement is caused by the drilling mud, which is forced into the well at high pressure and moves both the turbine and the drill bit. Due to electronic measurement equipment, Turbine drilling is not limited to vertical movement and can be angled in any direction. This system, known as MWD (measurement while drilling), determines the inclination and direction of the well and also transmits data about the rock being drilled.
While drilling is in progress, drilling mud is pumped through the rod down to the drill bit. It cools and lubricates the drill bit and also rises again on the outside of the rod, taking the cuttings with it to the surface. The drilling mud is filtered at the drilling rig and geologists regularly analyze its composition. Turbine drilling is an alternative to rotary drives. With this method, the drill bit is driven by a turbine fitted directly above it. The rotational movement is caused by the drilling mud, which is forced into the well at high pressure and moves both the turbine and the drill bit. Due to electronic measurement equipment, Turbine drilling is not limited to vertical movement and can be angled in any direction. This system, known as MWD (measurement while drilling), determines the inclination and direction of the well and also transmits data about the rock being drilled.
Horizontal wells are more environmentally friendly
Due to the new horizontal well technology, it is now also possible to develop deposits that are far away from the drilling rig. However, these wells are technically very demanding and require detailed planning. To effectively work with these conditions, Wintershall has established two 3D visualization centers, one in Kassel and one in Rijkswijk near The Hague, where drilling experts can analyze the virtual layers of rock. The additional effort also benefits the environment, as drilling rigs can now be located where the natural environment permits such an intervention.
These considerations played an important role in the development of Mittelplate, Germany’s largest oil field. Located in the sensitive tidal flats near the Elbe river mouth, Wintershall has a 50 percent interest in this deposit. In the last 1980’s oil started to flow from wells drilled from an artificial drilling island directly above the deposit. At the end of 1997, the first horizontal well was drilled from the mainland (around 8,000 meters away from the source), at a depth of 2,000 meters, and far away from the sensitive tidal flats. Thus far, seven wells having a maximum length of 9,275 meters have been drilled and are among the longest horizontal wells in the world. These horizontal wells have helped Mittelplate’s annual production to (at times) rise to over two million tonnes.
Wintershall also uses state-of-the-art technology in Northern Germany where our experts use managed pressure drilling (MPD) to get to the oil from the variegated sandstone. In this process, experts continuously measure the pressure at the end of the well and with the assistance of pumps, keep the pressure constant. If pressure gets too high, the stone could fracture and thus cause production losses. If pressure gets too low, materials from the deposit could penetrate the well. The oil can only be produced safely, if experts keep the pressure within the permissible window. MPD is still in the early stages of its development and could also be used for other deposits in the future.
Wintershall also uses state-of-the-art technology in Northern Germany where our experts use managed pressure drilling (MPD) to get to the oil from the variegated sandstone. In this process, experts continuously measure the pressure at the end of the well and with the assistance of pumps, keep the pressure constant. If pressure gets too high, the stone could fracture and thus cause production losses. If pressure gets too low, materials from the deposit could penetrate the well. The oil can only be produced safely, if experts keep the pressure within the permissible window. MPD is still in the early stages of its development and could also be used for other deposits in the future.
Climatic extremes for people and materials
When drilling wells, Wintershall employees not only have to cope with challenges below ground. Climatic extremes above ground can also test people and the equipment to their limits. The deserts of Libya or Mauretania may reach temperatures of to 50 degrees, whereas in Siberia, the mercury can plummet to as low as 60 degrees below freezing. In contrast to the extremely low outside temperature and Siberia’s permafrost soil (staying frozen down to several hundred meters), the ground gets warmer as you drill deeper, posing new challenges for the teams and their equipment.
Safety and environmental protection take top priority
In all its activities of exploration and production, Wintershall attaches great importance to preventing risk to people and the environment.. Furthermore, the company has implemented its own HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) policy, in which Wintershall undertakes to comply with internationally recognized, proven working standards and local legislation. HSE engineers are responsible for ensuring that our high safety, environmental, and health standards are met and continuously improved.
Natural gas will play a critical role in securing our energy supply for the future: It is safe, good value, climate-friendly, and can be used flexibly.
