Wintershall Dea switched the power supply to Mittelplate drilling and production island in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park to 100% certified electricity from renewable sources, making Mittelplate the first oil field in Germany to be produced solely with green electricity (OGJ Online, Jan. 28, 2013).
Previously, Middleplate electricity primarily was generated from a turbine on the island driven by associated gas extracted along with crude oil. Wintershall Dea is discontinuing power generation from the gas turbine and will get all its power from the mainland exclusively from renewable sources. This also applies to all other facilities belonging to the Holstein Production District on the mainland, such as treatment plants and offices in Friedrichskoog, as well as landing stage in Cuxhaven.
In terms of direct emissions, in 2018 the international oil and gas industry emitted on average 17.4 kg CO2/boe produced. By comparison, Mittelplate emitted just 3.6 kg CO2/boe in 2019. As a result of measures such as shutting down the turbine and changing power supply, Wintershall expects to emit only 0.4 kg/boe in 2021.
By 2021, Wintershall Dea will switch all production locations in Germany to certified electricity generated from renewable sources.