Offshore Germany platform switches to shore power

Wintershall Dea has converted the Mittelplate drilling and production island in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Zee National Park off northern Germany to run 100% on electricity from renewable energy.

“We were able to stop generating electricity with a gas turbine and switch to green electricity from shore environment,” said the company’s chief technology officer Hugo Dijkgraaf.

“Hereby we save up to 36,000 metric tons [39,683 tons] of CO₂ annually and significantly reduce our ecological footprint in this sensitive natural environment.”

According to the company, in 2018 the international oil and gas industry emitted on average 17.4 kg CO₂ per boe produced, while Mittelplate emitted only 3.6 kg CO₂/boe in 2019.

And following the new measures at the island, Wintershall Dea expects to reduce emission to 0.4 kg/boe in 2021.

Previously, the electricity needed on Mittelplate came primarily via a turbine on the island that was driven by associated gas extracted with the field’s crude oil.

All other facilities belonging to the Holstein Production District on the mainland, such as the treatment plants and offices in Friedrichskoog, and the landing stage in Cuxhaven, will undergo similar changes.

Crude oil production from the Mittelplate in the Wadden Zee has continued for 33 years and it remains Germany’s most productive oil field.

Source: Oil & Gas Journal