Wintershall Dea ten years in Abu Dhabi
- In 2010, UAE was targeted as a growth region
- Company feels at home in Abu Dhabi
- A proud partner for the UAE
This December, Wintershall Dea celebrates ten years in Abu Dhabi. CEO Mario Mehren says: “We came here in 2010 with the intention of making the Middle East a growth region for the company. We were confident that our ‘Made in Germany’ technical capabilities, and our commitment to long-term trusting relationships would enable us to unlock project opportunities. So it has proved. We are now proud to be a partner to ADNOC for the Ghasha Concession, and we look forward to playing our part in delivering the project in the coming years.”
The company with German roots and headquarters in Kassel and Hamburg first set up a representative office in the Emirate in 2010. In 2012 Wintershall Dea inked an agreement with ADNOC to lead technical appraisal of the Shuwaihat sour gas and condensate field, successfully delivering two test wells in 2015 and 2017 – proving its capabilities drilling technical challenging wells. In 2018, Wintershall Dea achieved its breakthrough project in the region with a stake in the Ghasha Concession mega project. Ghasha comprises of nine offshore fields containing gas – partially sour and ultra-sour – as well as oil and condensate. At its maximum phase, the project is set to deliver 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Wintershall Dea holds a forty year, 10 per cent stake, alongside the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as operator, as well as ENI, OMV and Lukoil.
Celebration in the time of corona
As Helge Beuthan, Managing Director for Wintershall Dea Middle East, explains, the 10th Anniversary celebrations will not be as originally planned. “It’s clearly not the year for a big celebration with all of our people, partners and friends in the UAE. But we’ll still find a way to give our team a thoroughly deserved thank-you for their hard work and success, and we’ll take the time to thank our partners and those who have played a role in our journey here in the last decade.”
And as Beuthan notes, there’s always the possibility to celebrate in more style later. “There’s no doubt about it, 2020 has been difficult. If we can’t gather to mark ten years now, then our friends and partners can look forward to an invite to celebrate our 11th anniversary next year!”
Growth built on technical excellence and partnership
Wintershall Dea brings to the Middle East over 120 years heritage of German engineering excellence, and capabilities that make it an attractive partner for the Ghasha project. Chief Operating Officer Dawn Summers, who holds Board-level responsibility for the Middle East and North Africa region, explains. “Ghasha is tailor-made to suit our expertise. We have sixty years’ experience with sour gas in Germany, working safely and to the highest standards. We know operating from artificial islands in sensitive marine areas, thanks to our long production at Mittelplate in the Wadden Sea National Park in Germany. Ghasha isn’t just about a financial investment. With the project we want to build a long and trusting partnership with ADNOC. So we are committed to sharing our expertise in these areas, as well as in digitalisation and other innovations, to have a positive impact on the project’s development.”
At home in Abu Dhabi, now a growth region for the company
According to Helge Beuthan, the Wintershall Dea team enjoys its new home. “Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates is an invigorating place to live and to do business. It’s future-focused and is investing heavily in impressive innovations, particularly in the digital sphere. And it’s an open-minded place where a diverse and talented team like ours can participate. We have lots to bring to the table here, but we can also learn very much from our Emirati friends.”
Mario Mehren agrees that Abu Dhabi is now a part of the Wintershall Dea establishment. “Back in 2010 our company had no presence in the Middle East. Now we are a part of one of the biggest projects in the region, and we know that Abu Dhabi will be an important part of our business for decades to come.”
About Wintershall Dea
Wintershall Dea is Europe’s leading independent natural gas and oil company with 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 13 countries worldwide in an efficient and responsible manner. With activities in Europe, Russia, 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 midstream business.
Wintershall Dea was formed from the merger of Wintershall Holding GmbH and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG, in 2019. Today, the company employs around 2,800 people worldwide from over 60 nations.
