Gazprom Export: Jemgum gas storage facility in northern Germany completed

Berlin, August 21 - Neftegaz.RU. The German gas storage operator “astora GmbH & Co. KG” (part of Gazprom Group) has announced the successful completion of the underground gas storage (UGS) facility Jemgum in Northwestern Germany.

Jemgum is one of Germany’s largest salt cavern storage facilities. It consists of 10 caverns with a depth of up to 1,500 meters. Their total working gas volume is approx. 900 million cubic meters. The construction of the facility began in 2008. Five years later, its first phase was put into operation.

The facility is located a few kilometers away from the border with the Netherlands. Due to its ideal location the facility is connected to the gas transportation system of the Netherlands, as well as to the GASCADE-operated pipeline grid in Germany. Thereby Jemgum offers direct access to two major market areas. Russian natural gas is transported to the facility via the Nord Stream pipeline and the NEL pipeline.

‘As natural gas production in the Netherlands is sharply declining, storage facilities with a connection to the Dutch grid will therefore be in demand to ensure security of supply, ’ – Managing Director of astora Eduard Schmitke said.

Jemgum UGS facility is the joint project of German companies WINGAS (part of Gazprom Group) and VNG Gasspeicher. Five sixths of the total storage capacities are merchandised by Gazprom Group, one sixth by VNG Gasspeicher. Astora as subsidiary of WINGAS operates the facility together with VNG Gasspeicher.

Seeking to enhance the reliability of gas supplies under its export contracts, Gazprom Group is systematically implementing its UGS system development strategy within and beyond the FSU countries. This ensures uninterrupted gas supply to foreign consumers in peak demand periods or during gas transmission system maintenance, and increases gas sales.