31.03.2014 • NewsBASFDede WillamsEU energy

Wintershall to Test Drill for Shale Gas in Germany

BASF oil and gas subsidiary Wintershall plans to drill up to five test wells in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with an eye to carrying out hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

The company's experts currently are seeking to determine which sites would be suitable for the tests, executives told the newspaper Rheinische Post. They said attention is being focused on concessions Winterhall has in three districts, in particular Mettmann, Hochsauerland and Märkischer Kreis.

Joachim Pünnel, who heads the BASF subsidiary's German activities, told the newspaper that activities at present are limited to geological evaluation to determine the sites' potential and that drilling deeper than 300 meters or fracking were not yet on the agenda.

Calling on the German government to embrace unconventional gas, BASF's CEO Kurt Bock recently suggested that Germany could possess enough shale gas reserves to supply its needs for around 10 years.

Innovation Pitch

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences
Discover Tomorrow’s Innovators

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences

CHEManager Innovation Pitch supports innovation in the chemistry and life sciences start-up scene. The platform allows founders, young entrepreneurs, and start-ups to present their companies to the industry.

Free Virtual Event

Sustainability in Bioprocessing
Bioprocess Forum

Sustainability in Bioprocessing

Join us to explore hot topics in sustainable bioprocessing like the industrial potential of enzymatic synthesis, innovative biocatalysis techniques, and the use of digital twins in bioprocessing.