Preserving the legacy
Wintershall Dea’s history is full of exciting turning points.
A journey from the end of the 19th century to today.
The roots of Wintershall Dea date more than 125 years back.
Between 1956 and 1991, Wintershall and DEA produced crude oil together at the Schwedeneck production site on the Bay of Kiel. (Photo: around 1970).
Our history in pictures
Wintershall Dea's roots go back more than 125 years: the predecessor companies Wintershall and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG were among the pioneers of the gas and oil industry in Germany. Both companies repeatedly set trends with their technical knowledge and expertise, while at the same time consistently developing their portfolios. From the second half of the 20th century, they also became increasingly involved internationally and secured ambitious licences worldwide. Since the merger in 2019, they have continued on this path together.
The mining entrepreneurs Carl Julius Winter and Heinrich Grimberg found the company Wintershall. Its business in the initial years focused on mining potash salt. That also explains the company’s name: The Germanic word “Hall”, meaning salt, was appended to the surname of the founder Winter.
The legal predecessor of DEA is established as Deutsche Tiefbohr AG (DTA) as a drilling contractor. Under managing director Rudolf Nöllenburg DTA soon drills its own wells – including one that strikes oil. Crude oil becomes the main business in 1906; DTA is renamed Deutsche Erdöl-Aktiengesellschaft (DEA) in 1911.
DEA drills the world’s first oil shaft, the Nöllenburg shaft, in Pechelbronn in Alsace. Up to then, oil was either extracted close to the surface or by means of wells. In the complex shaft construction method, however, oil is “mined” with the aid of an underground cavity.
Wintershall, which has now evolved into Germany’s largest potash company, expands from 1931 into crude oil production. The first step leads to Nienhagen near Hanover. DEA is also active there, so the two companies become direct rivals for the first time with neighbouring production derricks.
As strategically important companies for the war economy, Wintershall and DEA benefit strongly from the National Socialists period in 1933. Both companies exploit forced labourers, both are involved in the used of oil reserves seized by the Wehrmacht in Eastern and Southern Europe.
To reappraise this dark chapter in the companies’ history, take a critical look at it and assume responsibility, in 2018 Wintershall together with the Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte (Society for Business History) initiated research into Wintershall’s role in the Nazi period. A study on DEA is taken up in 2022.
Germany receives a new branch of industry: in 1951 and 1952, Wintershall and DEA discover natural gas reserves in Rehden and Pfungstadt. In the following decades, natural gas business becomes increasingly important – especially, since the oil crisis of 1973/74 is a reminder that less dependency on Arabian oil is advisable.
Wintershall and DEA start their expansion abroad together after the Second World War. From 1954, they take part in developing oil and gas reserves in the Peruvian jungle. Both companies later cooperate, among other places, in Libya, Oman and Dubai.
DEA is expanding into Norway via DEMINEX, a joint venture of the German mineral oil industry for foreign production. The target is the oil and gas deposits on the Norwegian continental shelf. They develop into one of Europe's most important energy sources.
Oil production begins in the Ras Budran, Ras Fanar and Zeit Bay fields in 1983/84. This rewards DEA's predecessor DEMINEX for ten years of work off the Egyptian coast.
The oil price crises in the 1970s give a new boost to domestic oil reserves. From 1985, Wintershall and DEA are developing Germany’s largest oil field off the North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein as equal partners in a consortium. Production on a drilling and production platform designed specifically for the protection requirements of the Wadden Sea gets under way in 1987.
Wintershall concludes a long-term agreement for marketing Russian natural gas in Germany with the Russian company Gazprom. It marks the starting point of a cooperation comprising of pipeline projects and joint ventures to produce oil and gas in Russia and ends with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022.
DEMINEX is dissolved and its assets divided among the owners. Wintershall will take over the activities in Russia, Azerbaijan and Argentina, DEA those in Egypt and Norway - almost all of these countries will still be among Wintershall Dea's core regions after the merger in 2019.
Wintershall is also active in Norway. It becomes operator of the Brage oil field, thereby significantly expanding its business with its first self-operated project on the Norwegian continental shelf and stakes in the Gjøa and Vega fields. Output climbs from 3,000 to 40,000 barrels a day – and the company grows by 240 employees.
Asset swap with Gazprom: Wintershall takes a stake in developing two further natural gas and condensate blocks in western Siberia. In exchange, the company transfers its entire natural gas trading and storage business to Gazprom and so focuses on its upstream operations.
Entry into the Mexican market: DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG takes a 50 per cent stake in the producing onshore oil field Ogarrio and becomes its operator. The company also acquires shares in Block 2 in the Gulf of Mexico. Thanks to further stakes, it establishes a major position in the national upstream market within just one year.
Wintershall and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG become Wintershall Dea. The merger creates Europe’s leading independent oil and gas company. It holds concessions worldwide, has around 3,000 employees, and produces a combined 575,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day to begin with.
Wintershall Dea and the energy company Equinor launch the NOR-GE project. The aim is to contribute to the energy transition by developing a comprehensive and safe value chain for the capture, transport from the European mainland and subsea storage of CO2 (Carbon Capture and Storage - CCS) in the North Sea.
Wintershall Dea withdraws completely from Russia due to the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine. The company decided to leave the country in an orderly manner and in compliance with all applicable legal obligations.
Former Wintershall Dea CEO Mario Mehren says: "Wintershall Dea will terminate its activities in Russia. Continuing our business in Russia is not sustainable. Russia's war of aggression is not compatible with our values. It has destroyed cooperation between Russia and Europe."
For the first time in the EU, the entire CCS value chain is being implemented with project “Greensand”: In March 2023, the first injections of CO2 are completed successfully via the Nini-platform off the Danish coast. As a leading member of the consortium Wintershall Dea collaborates with operator INEOS Energy and more than 20 partners.
On 21 December, 2023, BASF, LetterOne and Harbour Energy plc sign a business combination agreement to transfer Wintershall Dea’s E&P business to Harbour Energy plc. Neither Wintershall Dea’s Russia-related activities nor its headquarters and the related staff are part of the transaction.
As of 3 September 2024, Wintershall Dea's E&P business, excluding Russia-related activities, has been transferred to Harbour Energy plc. Wintershall Dea’s main tasks will now include divesting the remaining assets, providing transitional services to Harbour Energy and closing down the headquarters in Kassel and Hamburg.
Deep dive into our company history
On the following pages, we have compiled various aspects of our company history, the initial results of current research projects for you to read up on, as well as contact and research options.
Moving pictures, moving history of Wintershall and DEA
The Wintershall Dea Corporate Archive also contains some treasures with moving images from our company history. Here we provide insights into some of our historical film recordings.
Video: 125 years of Wintershall
In 2019 Wintershall and DEA have become Wintershall Dea, Europe's leading independent natural gas and crude oil company - two companies rich in tradition, two eventful company histories. See for yourself - in our video on occasion of the merger in 2019.
Video: 125 years of Wintershall
In 2019 Wintershall and DEA have become Wintershall Dea, Europe's leading independent natural gas and crude oil company - two companies rich in tradition, two eventful company histories. See for yourself - in our video on occasion of the merger in 2019.
Video: 120 years of DEA
This video about the history of DEA tells the story of how a small drilling contractor became a global gas and oil producer. The video was produced in 2019.
Video: 120 years of DEA
This video about the history of DEA tells the story of how a small drilling contractor became a global gas and oil producer. The video was produced in 2019.
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