Wintershall Dea’s roots reach back more than 100 years: Its predecessor companies

Wintershall and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG were among the pioneers of the German oil
and gas industry. Both companies repeatedly made a mark with their technical know-how
and skills and also enhanced their portfolio systematically. From the second half of the
20th century on, they increasingly became international players and secured challenging
concessions worldwide. They have continued on that path together since the merger in
2019. The successful tradition of its forerunners is the foundation on which Wintershall
Dea now operates stronger and more modern than ever before.

1894
THE SALTY BEGINNINGS
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.

A group photo from the early years shows the then director of Wintershall, August Rosterg (2nd from left),
together with his co-workers.
 Credit

Wintershall Dea

1899
IN THE DRILLING BUSINESS
The legal predecessor of DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG is established as Deutsche Tiefbohr-
Actiengesellschaft (DTA). The Managing Director is the 25-year-old merchant Rudolf
Nöllenburg from Krefeld. The company initially operates as a drilling contractor.
However, it would soon start drilling its own wells – including one that struck oil for the
first time. Crude oil is officially declared the new main business in 1906; the company is
renamed Deutsche Erdöl-Aktiengesellschaft (DEA) in 1911.

Wintershall and DEA together embody a

CEO of Wintershall Dea

1917
MORE LIKE MINING
DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG 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.

1931
 FROM SALT TO OIL
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.

Oil production in the 1930ies in Nienhagen (Lower Saxony, Germany).

Wintershall Dea

1933
IN THE ERA OF NATIONAL SOCIALISM
The history of Wintershall und DEA, two German companies both steeped in tradition,
also includes their role during the era of National Socialism. As strategically important
companies for the war economy, Wintershall and DEA benefit from the National
Socialists taking over power. Forced labourers are used and exploited at both companies;
the companies are also involved in producing oil reserves in Eastern and Southern
Europe. To extensively reappraise this dark chapter in the companies’ history, take a
critical look at it and assume the responsibility it implies, Wintershall initiated a project in
2018 together with the renowned Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte (Society for
Business History) to look into the companies’ role in the era of National Socialism. The
research also looks at the proximity of the companies’ management at that time to the
NSDAP.

Crude oil is loaded on a truck. The picture was taken in 1944.

Wintershall Dea

BOOK PRESENTATION

In 2020, Wintershall Dea published studies on the company's role in the Nazi era. The
reference book was presented in Kassel and followed by a panel discussion that focussed
on the question of which responsibilities for the present result from our own past.
Credit

Wintershall Dea
 1951
A LANDMARK DISCOVERY
Crude oil production gets a boost, and the still young Federal Republic of Germany
acquires a new and forward-looking branch of industry: in 1951 and 1952, Wintershall
and DEA discover large natural gas reserves in Rehden and Pfungstadt. In the following
decades, natural gas business becomes increasingly important. This is helped by the
1973/1974 oil crisis – a reminder that less dependency on Arabian oil sources is
advisable.

1954
A LEAP INTO THE WORLD
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.
 First contact: Wintershall and DEA worked together in Peru in the 1950ies.
Credit

Wintershall Dea

1973
VELKOMMEN TIL NORGE!
DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG enters the Norwegian market. The target: the rich oil and gas
reserves on the Norwegian continental shelf. They would later become one of Europe’s
most important sources of energy.

1983
LOOKING FURTHER AFIELD
Operations get underway in the Gulf of Suez: Oil production starts at the Ras Budran, Ras
Fanar and Zeit Bay fields. That is the reward for ten years of work for DEA Deutsche
Erdoel AG. Production off the Egyptian coast is one of the company’s earliest production
projects outside Europe.

A platform in the Ras Budran field in the Gulf of Suez.

Wintershall Dea

1985
OFFSHORE OFF THE GERMAN COAST
The oil price crises in the 1970s give a new boost to domestic oil reserves. From 1985,
Wintershall and DEA are developingGermany’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.
 Under construction: The drilling and production platform Mittelplate in 1985.
Credit

Wintershall Dea

1990
GERMAN-RUSSIAN PARTNERSHIP
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.

1998
BREAK UP OF DEMINEX
DEMINEX, a joint venture of the German mineral industry founded in 1969 to boost
production abroad, is broken up. Wintershall takes over its regional activities in Russia,
Azerbaijan and Argentina, and DEA its activities in Egypt and Norway – mainly countries
that are still among Wintershall Dea’s core regions today.

2013
OPERATOR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORWAY
Wintershall becomes operator of the Brage oil field and the production platform of the
same name. It significantly expands its business in Norway 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 has 240 employees more.

The Brage offshore platform started production in 1993.

Wintershall Dea/Morten Berentsen

2015
 FOCUS ON PRODUCTION
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.

The cooperation between the German Wintershall and the Russian Gazprom began in 1990.
Credit

Wintershall Dea/Georgy Pavlovsky

2017
WHAT A START
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.
 2019
TWO BECOME ONE
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.