Company History

Wintershall has been actively involved in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas for more than 75 years, since 1969 as a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF. We focus on selected core regions: Europe, North Africa, South America, as well as Russia and the Caspian Sea region, where the company has built up a high level of regional and technological expertise.
 
The company is actively investing in the development of new deposits and the expansion of existing fields. In its activities Wintershall attaches the same importance to stringent environmental protection and work safety requirements as it does to its economic targets.

Wintershall has been active in the North Sea since 1965 and now operates 26 platforms in total there – 25 of these in Dutch territorial waters and one in German waters. Since the summer of 2006 Wintershall has acquired exploration rights in over 50 licenses in the German, British, Norwegian, Danish and Dutch areas.

In April 2006 the office of the Norwegian subsidiary, Wintershall Norge AS, was opened in Oslo. This was part of Wintershall’s strategy to further expand its portfolio in this region which is extremely important in terms of energy policy.

Wintershall had already established itself as an active participant in the E&P sector in Norway, when the company acquired the former Norwegian oil and gas company Revus Energy ASA in December 2008. Wintershall Norge ASA is based in Stavanger, the heart of Norway’s offshore industry.

In addition Wintershall Norge holds 17 licenses through it’s UK subsidiaries in the UK Sector Central and Northern North Sea basins. About half of Wintershall Norge’s production, approximately 2,000 bopd, is out of the “Broom” oil field held in licenses p242 and p902 with a 29% non-operated interest. Two UK licenses are operated (p1562 and p1619) with a 75% interest, of which the latter contains the “Blakeney” oil discovery, made in 2010. In addition, it participates with a 20% interest in license p1430 which contains the “Catcher”, “Catcher East” and “Varadero” oil discoveries also made in 2010 and holds a 33.5% interest in license p1064 which contains the “Cladhan” oil discovery, successfully appraised in 2010. 
 

Brief history

• April 2006. Wintershall Norge AS opens office in Oslo
   
• January 2007.  Company  is awarded its first licenses in APA 2006
   
• October 2008.  Wintershall announces offer for all shares in the Norwegian listed E&P company Revus Energy ASA
   
• December 2008. The acquisition of Revus Energy is completed and Wintershall announces that all activities in Norway will move to Stavanger 
   
• January 2009. Wintershall was awarded six exploration licenses in APA 2008 including five operatorships
   
• June 2009. Wintershall announces the “Grosbeak” oil and gas discovery in its first operated exploration well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
   
• October 2009. The company moves into new offices in Hinna Park in Stavanger
   
• January 2010.  Wintershall was awarded four new licenses in APA 2009 including three operatorships
   
• July 2010. “Maria” and “Blakeney” discoveries 
   
• August – September 2010 . Yme Mobile Production Unit (‘MOPU’, Wintershall 10%) moved from Abu Dhabi to Rosenberg Yard, Stavanger for completion & inshore commissioning
   
• January 2011. The company was awarded ten new licenses in APA 2010 including six operatorships
   
• February 2011. Wintershall Norge wins employer of the year award, ranking among three most attractive employers on NCS and was nominated to be explorer of the year