Safe and environmentally compatible oil production

Safety concept on which the design of the Mittelplate Drilling and Production Island is based:

  • The bottom of the Mittelplate Drilling and Production Island sits directly on top of a sandbank and is firmly anchored in place, and it is therefore impossible for it to sink.
  • Sophisticated monitoring and control systems provide multiple levels of safeguards for all drilling and production operations. Safety valves installed below and above ground can be activated automatically, manually or by remote control.
  • Numerous fire and gas alarms are installed throughout all sections of the island. All these sensors are checked constantly by a central monitoring system in the control room.
  • The drilling rig and production facilities are sealed from the environment. Mittelplate Island is built in the form of a compact, leak-proof steel and concrete basin. Nothing can escape from the island unchecked. Even rain and spray is collected and treated on the island.
  • A comprehensive closed waste disposal system guarantees that the North Sea and the Wattenmeer tidelands are not exposed to contamination.
  • Because Mittelplate is a single, compact structure sitting directly on top of the tidal flats, there is easy access to all safety-related devices and equipment for inspection purposes.
  • An emergency plan is in place for dealing with contingencies and incidents. Employees are trained to deal with emergencies in safety courses, exercises and seminars.
  • RWE Dea assigns the highest priority to compliance with safety and environmental protection standards in all its activities. The 23-year record of incident-free production on Mittelplate is solid proof that environmental protection and oil production can go hand-in-hand.
  • Environmental protection organisations cite Mittelplate as a model for responsible oil production.
     

 

Producing oil from domestic sources is important for the following reasons:

  • Highest environmental protection and safety standards anywhere in the world.
  • Major significance for the national economy. More than 50% of Germany’s domestic oil production comes from the Mittelplate field.
  • Mittelplate oil helps reduce Germany's dependence on oil imports, thereby making an important contribution to securing the country's energy supply.
  • Oil production creates a large number of jobs. More than 1,000 people are involved in processing the crude oil and oil derivatives.
  • The royalties payable on oil produced here represent a reliable source of income for the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein.
  • There will be no additional structures for oil production purposes built on the Wattenmeer tidelands in future. In future, oil will be produced through extended-reach wells drilled either from the Drilling and Production Island or from outside the boundaries of the National Park.
     

Mittelplate - Safe and environmentally compatible oil production in the Wattenmeer tidelands (PDF | 1.9 MB)