Wintershall Plans Expansion on NCS

Kassel-based Wintershall plans to step up investments on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, following Germany's preference for extraction activities in Norway.

‘Norway is Germany’s most important energy supplier after Russia. Last year, for example, almost 30 percent, in other words nearly one in three cubic meters of natural gas imports came from the Scandinavian country. The German population also recognizes this, as a recent survey conducted by the public opinion research institute forsa and commissioned by Wintershall shows: 78 percent of Germans would favor Norway as a reliable partner to make up for declining natural gas production in the European Union. 62 percent named Canada, followed by the USA (45 percent) and Russia and the Middle East (with 38 percent each),’ reads a note published on Wednesday.

Germany's largest internationally active oil and gas company sees good opportunities in the Scandinavian country, confirming that growth will continue in the coming years. In 2013, Wintershall Norge was the company that grew the fastest in the area. 

“The North Sea – and particularly Norway – will be extremely important for Europe’s supply of oil and gas in future too. Norway has the resources, is politically stable and has very good infrastructure,” Martin Bachmann, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of Wintershall, said during the international exhibition Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) in Stavanger.

Bernd Schrimpf, Managing Director of Wintershall Norge, confirmed that the company expects a 20% oil production growth by 2015 with respect to 2013 levels. 

The company also stressed the importance of natural gas production, criticising Germany's Energiewende for a lack of pragmatism.

“The energy transition in Germany shows that focusing energy policy solely on renewable energies is akin to leading the country up a blind alley. Idealism alone is not enough. Pragmatism is just as important. That would enable us to turn our attention back to natural gas as a driving force and cornerstone of positive change in the energy system,” Bachmann added.  

Norway and Germany are strengthening their business ties. Recently, Statoil organised a conference in Berlin, where it will soon open a new office.