Etzel cavern facility

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Overview map
The cavern information center in Etzel 2016
Etzel cavern information center

The Etzel cavern facility is an underground storage facility for crude oil and natural gas located south of Etzel in the East Frisian municipality of Friedeburg . For storage are caverns in the salt dome used Etzel. A total of 75 caverns are currently in operation at the Etzel cavern facility (as of 2012) with a total volume of 46 million cubic meters. The operator uses 51 of these to store natural gas and 24 for crude oil (as of 2017). The cavern company Storag Etzel GmbH (formerly IVG Caverns ) is responsible for the construction, operation and marketing of the caverns. The main shareholder is IVG .

Location and connection

The cavern facility is located in the municipality of Friedeburg between the villages of Etzel, Horsten and Marx . The plant is located around 20 kilometers southwest of Wilhelmshaven and is connected to the North-West Oil Pipeline (NWO) via its own pipeline . Further pipelines connect the cavern facility to the Northern European pipeline network. Gas pipelines lead to Emden and Dornum, where the Norwegian energy company Statoil lands gas from Norwegian North Sea fields. Statoil has been storing gas in Etzel since the mid-1980s. The whole of northern Germany is connected to the Etzel caverns via the NETRA pipeline . The cavern system with the gas pipeline node in Bunde / Oude Statenzijl is connected to the Dutch gas market via the 60-kilometer-long Bunde-Etzel Pipeline (BEP) .

geology

In the Etzel area is the Etzel salt dome, a special salt deposit that was formed around 240 million years ago. The mushroom-shaped salt dome is around 17 kilometers long and around five kilometers wide. It protrudes from a depth of more than 4,000 meters to 750 meters below the surface of the earth and consists of salt rock which, due to its special chemical and physical properties, can only be dissolved with water and, due to its crystal structure, is solid and impermeable. These material properties are used for the storage of crude oil and natural gas.

The caverns in the Etzel salt dome are located at a depth of 900 to 1700 meters. A cavern is around 300 to 500 meters high and up to 60 meters wide.

history

The Federal Republic of Germany committed itself as early as 1970, before the oil crises of 1973 and 1979, to establish a federal crude oil reserve in order to store a minimum supply of crude oil . For this purpose, cavern operation was started in Etzel in 1971 by IVG Industrieverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH . In addition to the geological conditions, the decisive factor for the construction of the cavern storage facility in Etzel was the proximity to Germany's largest oil import port, Wilhelmshaven. The tanker handling facility of Nord-West-Oelleitung GmbH (NWO) , where the oil is landed, is less than 25 kilometers away and is connected via pipelines . The proximity to the North Sea also made it possible to use the lake water that was required for flushing out (brine) of the caverns. From 1973, 33 caverns were flushed out in the Etzel salt dome and, after completion, were used from 1977 to store around 10 million tons of crude oil. That was a large part of the strategic crude oil reserve.

From 1989 to 1992, nine caverns were converted for gas storage and in 1993 they were put into operation as a gas storage facility for natural gas . From 1994 seven more caverns were built. In 2005 IVG Caverns GmbH took over the facilities from the federal government. The operator develops and manages the systems, but the majority of the systems are owned or leased by the large German energy companies . Since 2007 the development from crude oil storage to one of the largest gas storage facilities has continued. In October 2010, the State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG) approved the Etzel III natural gas storage station, which may use a further 25 salt caverns.

In May 2010, IVG launched the Etzel cavern information center with a citizen hotline and website. In December 2010, an info box was opened at the Etzel energy storage facility as the main part of the information center. The information center is IVG's answer to the increasing criticism in the region about the company's information policy and the establishment of a citizens' initiative against the planned expansion of the cavern facility.

In October 2010 the moderation process for the development of the mission statement for the Etzel cultural landscape began under the leadership of the Oldenburg government agency . With this initiative, questions about the state of the landscape should be clarified after the predicted large-scale subsidence has subsided and concepts for acceptable solutions should be developed.

In January 2011, the operator IVG Caverns presented an expert opinion on the subsidence forecast of the cavern site and the surrounding area. According to the forecast of the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the forecast subsidence will be limited to the vicinity of the cavern field and be 1.01 meters to 1.47 meters in the center. For its report, the BGR took into account measured values ​​as part of altitude observations, which have been carried out annually since 1973 by an independent expert on behalf of IVG. The forecast was based on the operation of 40 existing caverns and a further 30 caverns, i.e. a total of 70 caverns by the year 2044.

In January 2012, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) presented an expanded subsidence forecast containing calculations for the planned final expansion of 144 caverns by 2060. Based on the calculations of the BGR, the expected subsidence in the deepest part of the basin is a maximum of 2.3 meters. Without appropriate countermeasures in terms of drainage construction , a large lake will form in the center of the subsidence area.

At the beginning of 2012, a total of 52 caverns were in operation at the Etzel cavern facility. Of these, 29 were used for natural gas storage and 23 for crude oil storage. A total of 99 caverns have been approved by the State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology . The operator IVG Caverns is currently preparing an application to create another 45 caverns. In the final stage, the facility will have 144 caverns.

In July 2012, the moderation process for developing the concept for the Etzel cultural landscape was completed with a final presentation in the district town of Wittmund . As a preliminary work result, an information brochure was created, which was sent to all households in the Friedeburg community and in the Sander districts of Altgödens, Dykhausen and Neustadtgödens. The legally non-binding result of the model will be part of the environmental impact study of the plan approval procedure for the planned construction of another 45 caverns.

On September 27, 2012, the inauguration of the underground facility of the storage operating company "Crystal", which had been built since December 2009, took place on the cavern site. The facility is connected to four of the 52 caverns used. The caverns leased long-term from IVG Caverns were filled for the first time in May 2011, and commercial test operations began in July 2012. The facility is intended to compensate for seasonal fluctuations in consumption and thus ensures security of supply.

Since the forecast of subsidence in the Etzel area became known, the plans of IVG Caverns to further expand the facility have been viewed more critically by the population than before. Due to discrepancies, the local council passed a resolution in October 2011 in which the local council appealed to IVG not to drill or brine any further caverns until the subsidence and the question of the final storage of the caverns had been finally clarified. An appeal was also made to the State Mining Authority (LBEG) to take into account the demands of the Friedeburg community and to suspend the already approved drilling and brine plans for caverns that have not yet started but have already been approved. The Federal Government and the parliamentary groups belonging to the Bundestag are also requested to amend the Federal Mining Act (BBergG) of 1980 that applies to cavern construction , particularly in the area of ​​damage law.

In August 2013 it became known that IVG, the parent company of IVG Caverns, had to enter into insolvency proceedings . The effects of the insolvency proceedings on the subsidiary IVG Caverns were unclear. In November 2013, the protective shield proceedings resulted in self-administration bankruptcy . At the beginning of 2016, IVG Caverns' headquarters were relocated to the Friedeburg community.

In July 2016, IVG released its subsidiary under the new name Storag Etzel GmbH into entrepreneurial independence. However, IVG remained the main shareholder of the cavern company.

At the end of January 2019, the company submitted a framework operating plan to the Lower Saxony State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology for testing and approval. Among other things, it should provide clarity about the subsidence to be expected in the long term and the effects on the cavern field with possible consequences for people, buildings, groundwater, nature and the landscape. In addition, it should show measures how adverse effects can be avoided or at least minimized and what a possible concept for safe custody of the caverns can look like after the end of operation.

Incidents

In November 2013, a valve above the oil reservoir that was not completely closed triggered an oil spill in which around 40,000 liters of crude oil found its way into the surrounding waters. The adjacent Friedeburg low was particularly affected. The State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG) announced that the extent of possible environmental damage was still unclear. The Aurich public prosecutor's office started an investigation.

Established businesses

Five operating companies are active on the cavern site. The Friedeburger memory mbH Crystal is a joint venture of EnBW and EDF . The Etzel caverns mbH & Co. KG (VIKING) is made up of BP , Dong Energy and Gazprom . The ESE natural gas storage Etzel GmbH is a joint venture between E.ON (E.on Gas Storage), OMV and Verbundnetz Gas . Other operating companies are Storag Etzel Service GmbH, which operates the gas caverns, and Etzel Gas-Lager GmbH & Co. KG (EGL).

criticism

There is increasing resistance among residents of the region to the planned further expansion of the Etzel cavern. At the beginning of 2010 the citizens' initiative "Quality of Life Horsten-Etzel-Marx" was formed, which wants to stop the expansion of the cavern area, inform the population about possible dangers and risks and demand compliance with existing legal or other environmental requirements and guidelines. In particular, the prognosis that the 99 caverns that have already been approved will see a subsidence of 2.3 meters in the center by 2060 has caused a stir among many residents. The forecasted large-scale subsidence will lead to waterlogging in this area, which can only be removed using pumping stations . In this context, the question of the ability to prove possible damage to buildings due to the forecast subsidence of the ground is also viewed critically, since the burden of proof is not yet reversed in the area of ​​cavern construction, in contrast to mining . Accordingly, the injured party has to prove that the damage that occurred was caused by the construction of the cavern.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ STORAG ​​ETZEL: FAQ. Retrieved September 7, 2017 .
  2. ↑ a b STORAG ​​ETZEL: Oil storage in Etzel / gas storage in Etzel. In: STORAG ​​ETZEL. Retrieved October 4, 2016 .
  3. ↑ Bunde-Etzel-Pipeline goes into operation ( Memento of the original from June 9, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 11, 2012 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / de.bepipeline.de
  4. ↑ STORAG ​​ETZEL: Requirements of the salt dome in Etzel , accessed on October 4, 2016
  5. ↑ STORAG ​​ETZEL: How a cavern is created. In: STORAG ​​ETZEL. Retrieved October 4, 2016 .
  6. ↑ Werner Brune (Ed.): Wilhelmshavener Heimatlexikon , Volume 1–3. Brune, Wilhelmshaven 1986/1987, Volume 1, p. 276
  7. ↑ LBEG approves Etzel III natural gas storage station , accessed on March 11, 2012
  8. ^ OZ-Online: Cavern information center opened in Etzel , accessed on March 11, 2012
  9. ↑ Press release from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Consumer Protection and State Development, Government Representation Oldenburg  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 26 kB), accessed on March 11, 2012@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.kulturlandschaft-etzel.de  
  10. ↑ Nds. Ministry of Economics, Labor and Transport: Cavern construction Etzel / Friedeburg , accessed on March 13, 2012
  11. ↑ The development of the mission statement for the Etzel cultural landscape is progressing ( memento of the original dated December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 13, 2012 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.kulturlandschaft-etzel.de
  12. ↑ WZOnline: IVG Caverns: Floor sags to 2.3 meters , accessed on March 13, 2012
  13. ↑ STORAG ​​ETZEL: Environmental Impact / Background ( Memento of the original from February 28, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed October 4, 2016 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.storag-etzel.de
  14. ↑ STORAG ​​ETZEL: Status of the field development since 2006. In: STORAG ​​ETZEL. Retrieved October 4, 2016 .
  15. ↑ Etzel Cavern Storage - Present and Future , accessed on March 11, 2012
  16. ↑ The development of the mission statement for the Etzel cultural landscape has been completed ( memento of the original dated December 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed July 12, 2012 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.kulturlandschaft-etzel.de
  17. ↑ Information brochure on the draft of the concept of the Etzel cultural landscape  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 5 MB), accessed on July 12, 2012@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.kulturlandschaft-etzel.de  
  18. ↑ Mission statement “Kulturlandschaft Etzel” presented, Wilhelmshavener Zeitung of July 12, 2012, p. 12
  19. ↑ Crystal natural gas storage facility in Etzel goes into commercial operation , accessed on November 16, 2012
  20. ↑ Resolution of the council of the Friedeburg community on the Etzel cavern area ( Memento of the original dated December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 238 kB), accessed on November 16, 2012 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gemeinde-friedeburg.de
  21. ^ Caverns - Citizens' Initiative Expects Big Problems in Etzel , accessed on November 19, 2013
  22. ↑ STORAG ​​ETZEL: Change of name on July 1st, 2016: IVG Caverns becomes STORAG ​​ETZEL. (No longer available online.) In: STORAG ​​ETZEL. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016 ; accessed on September 16, 2016 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.storag-etzel.de
  23. ↑ Insolvency proceedings opened - IVG restructuring is entering the critical phase , accessed on November 19, 2013
  24. ↑ Etzel cavern field: New general operating plan is available for review | State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology. Retrieved February 10, 2019 .
  25. ↑ spiegel-online.de: Oil spill in East Frisia pollutes rivers and soil , accessed on November 19, 2013
  26. ↑ ndr.de: New pollution discovered after an oil accident ( Memento from April 9, 2014 in the Internet Archive ).
  27. ↑ Caverns presents a comprehensive emergency concept at the Etzel location  ( page can no longer be accessed , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 11, 2012@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.kavernen-informationszentrum-etzel.de  
  28. ^ Citizens' initiative “Quality of Life Horsten-Etzel-Marx” - Reasons and goals , accessed on March 11, 2012
  29. ↑ Radio Bremen: Justified fears or justified hopes when storing energy sources in caverns? Retrieved March 11, 2012
  30. ↑ Wilhelmshavener Zeitung: Reversal of the burden of proof for the construction of caverns should be anchored in mining law , accessed on March 11, 2012

Web links

Coordinates: 53 ° 27 '3.8 "  N , 7 ° 54' 11.5"  E