Sonatrach and Wintershall Dea establish scientific and technical cooperation

• Cooperation will foster broader exchange beyond joint projects and assets
• A further step for Wintershall Dea’s strategic growth path in Algeria

Wintershall Dea and Sonatrach have signed an agreement for a Scientific and Technical Cooperation to develop innovative approaches and solutions for joint projects and extend their existing partnership. The two companies will initiate a joint, long-term program to exchange knowledge and experience about topics associated with their core business and in the field of low-carbon energies.  The future expert dialogue will focus on the role of natural gas for Algeria and beyond, as well as on topics around energy transition such as the use of hydrogen and CCS.

“The agreement is another example of Wintershall Dea’s strong and reliable partnership with Algeria and reflects our openness to knowledge exchange. The cooperation is a way for us to make a positive contribution to the development of Algeria’s energy sector, and future energy transition projects. These objectives can be better tackled together with partners”, says Thomas Ruttmann, Managing Director for BU Algeria at Wintershall Dea.

Wintershall Dea sees significant opportunity in Algeria: as a stable energy supplier for the region, and for Europe, and as a key player in the energy transition. As the leading producer of natural gas in Africa, Algeria is a major energy exporter to Europe. In addition, Algeria has great potential for future energy production, including hydrogen, solar and wind power and carbon capture and storage. Wintershall Dea intends to grow and further develop its business in Algeria, and is working to identify potential new projects.

“Our partnership is characterized by trust and cooperation and we see the STC as further proof of a common path into the future, towards new technologies and opportunities. We strive for a fruitful exchange, dialogue at eye level and valuable incentives for low-carbon energies”, emphasizes Dawn Summers, Wintershall Dea’s Chief Operating Officer and responsible board member for the MENA region.

Wintershall Dea has been a partner in the Reggane Nord concession in the Sahara desert since 2002. The project is operated by the Groupement Reggane Nord (GRN), a consortium of project partners Sonatrach, Repsol and Wintershall Dea.

_{About Wintershall Dea}

_{Wintershall Dea is transforming from the leading European independent gas and oil company to become a leading European independent gas and carbon management company. We have more than 120 years of experience as an operator and project partner along the entire E&P value chain. The company with German roots and headquarters in Kassel and Hamburg explores for and produces gas and oil in 11 countries worldwide in an efficient and responsible manner. With activities in Europe, Latin America and the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa), Wintershall Dea has a global upstream portfolio and, with its participation in natural gas transport, is also active in the midstream business. And we develop carbon management and low carbon hydrogen projects to contribute to climate goals and secure energy supplies. More in our Annual Report.}

_{As a European gas and oil company, we support the EU's 2050 carbon neutrality target. As our contribution we have set ourselves ambitious targets: We want to be net zero across our entire upstream operations – both operated and non-operated – by 2030. This includes Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) greenhouse gas emissions on an equity share basis. Wintershall Dea will also bring its methane emissions intensity below 0.1 per cent by 2025. We endorsed the World Bank’s Initiative ‘Zero Routine Flaring by 2030’ and continue to support the initiative aimed at eliminating routine flaring in operated assets by 2030. In addition, we plan to support global decarbonisation efforts by building up a carbon management and hydrogen business to potentially abate 20-30 million tonnes of CO2 per annum by 2040. You can find more about this in our Sustainability Report.}

_{Wintershall Dea was formed from the merger of Wintershall Holding GmbH and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG, in 2019. Today, the company employs more than 2,000 people worldwide from almost 60 nations.}