Natural gas has been exported to Germany since 1973. Verbundnetz Gas and Ruhrgas were the first companies to receive gas supplies in East and West Germany. Today, Germany is the biggest buyer of Russian gas in the world, and German companies implement numerous projects jointly with the Gazprom Group.
billion cubic meters of gas per year
throughput of the Yamal – Europe gas pipeline
throughput of the Yamal – Europe gas pipeline
billion cubic meters of gas per year
throughput of the Nord Stream gas pipeline
throughput of the Nord Stream gas pipeline
32.9
billion cubic meters of gas per year
throughput of the Yamal – Europe gas pipeline
throughput of the Yamal – Europe gas pipeline
55
billion cubic meters of gas per year
throughput of the Nord Stream gas pipeline
throughput of the Nord Stream gas pipeline
Figures and facts
In 2018, Germany set a new record for Russian gas purchases at 58.5 billion cubic meters.
Cooperation areas
At present, Germany is Gazprom’s largest export market. Gazprom cooperates with German companies along the entire value chain, from gas production in Russia to gas deliveries to end consumers in Germany. The cooperation also covers sports, social and cultural projects.
Gas deliveries and transmission
Russia and Germany are connected by extensive gas transmission routes: Yamal – Europe and Nord Stream.
The transnational Yamal – Europe gas pipeline traverses four countries, namely Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Germany. Its annual capacity is 32.9 billion cubic meters of gas.
The Nord Stream gas pipeline is built across the Baltic Sea. The pipeline delivers Russian gas directly to Europe, bypassing transit countries. Its annual capacity is 55 billion cubic meters of gas.
In 2018, construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was launched. The new route will also extend from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea. The pipeline will have the annual throughput of 55 billion cubic meters of gas.
Gas production
Gazprom jointly with German companies implements a number of upstream projects. Among them are the extraction of natural gas from the Achimov deposits of the Urengoyskoye field by the Achimgaz joint venture, the extraction of gas from the Wingate field in the North Sea, and the development of the Yuzhno-Russkoye oil and gas field (Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area).
Gas storage
As a co-investor, Gazprom has access to the working gas inventories in the underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in Germany, namely Rehden, Etzel, Jemgum, and Katharina. Together with German companies, the Gazprom Group takes part in the Haidach UGS project in Austria.
Equipment and technologies
German suppliers of equipment and technologies (from pipes to automation products) are regular participants in Gazprom’s projects.
End consumers in Europe
The Gazprom Group operates 49 CNG filling stations in Germany.
History of cooperation
1968
The USSR and the German Democratic Republic sign an intergovernmental agreement on natural gas supplies.
February 1970
The USSR and the Federal Republic of Germany sign agreements on natural gas supplies from the USSR to West Germany and deliveries of German large-diameter pipes to the Soviet Union.
1972
An agreement is signed to increase gas supplies from the USSR to the Federal Republic of Germany. Similar agreements are also inked in 1974 and 1979.
May 1, 1973
The USSR starts delivering natural gas to the German Democratic Republic. The first company to receive gas is Verbundnetz Gas.
October 1, 1973
The USSR starts delivering natural gas to the Federal Republic of Germany. The buyer is Ruhrgas.
June 1974
The Orenburg Agreement is signed regarding the involvement of builders and gas industry workers from East Germany and other member countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance in developing the Orenburgskoye field and constructing the Orenburg – USSR Western Border gas trunkline, subsequently named Soyuz.
November 1981
Soyuzgazexport and Ruhrgas sign the fourth contract to deliver an additional 8 billion cubic meters of gas per year to West Germany between 1984 and 2008.
January 1986
The Yamburg Agreements between the USSR and the member countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance on joint development of the Yamburgskoye field enter into force. Up to 1989, Verbundnetz Gas receives Russian gas in exchange for building facilities and delivering equipment and pipes from East Germany, particularly for the construction of the Yamburg – USSR Western Border gas trunkline.
1990
Gazprom and Wintershall establish the WIEH joint venture focusing on natural gas trading, transmission, storage and marketing in various European countries.
1993
Gazprom and Wintershall complete the construction of the 313-kilometer STEGAL gas pipeline and the 702-kilometer MIDAL gas pipeline in Germany. The MIDAL-STEGAL system gives Gazprom direct access to Germany’s gas market.
Gazprom and Wintershall establish the WINGAS joint venture with the purpose of selling gas to German consumers and delivering gas to Belgium, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Denmark.
Gazprom signs a number of long-term contracts with WINGAS and WIEH on gas supplies to European consumers.
Gazprom and Siemens intensify their cooperation in telecommunications and process automation.
October 1998
Gazprom and Wintershall put onstream WEDAL, a 236-kilometer gas pipeline in Germany. The trunkline connects the gas transmission system of WINGAS to Belgium’s gas pipeline network and further to the Interconnector gas pipeline running from continental Europe to the UK across the North Sea.
The environmental project of Gazprom and Ruhrgas aimed at reducing carbon emissions at Russian gas transmission facilities receives the award of the Federation of German Industries.
December 1998
Gazprom and Ruhrgas sign the Agreement on the extension of most contracts until 2020 and the participation of Ruhrgas in Gazprom’s shareholders equity.
August 1999
WINGAS brings Rehden, the largest UGS facility (working gas inventories of 4.2 billion cubic meters) in Germany and Western Europe, up to its full capacity.
August 24, 1999
WINGAS makes Rehden, the largest underground gas storage facility (working capacity of 4.2 billion cubic meters) in Germany and Western Europe, fully operational.
November 1999
Gazprom and Wintershall complete the construction of JAGAL, a 338-kilometer gas pipeline running across Germany. JAGAL connects the Yamal – Europe and STEGAL gas pipelines.
2001
Gazprom and E.ON Gastransport sign agreements to transmit natural gas through Germany to the Netherlands and Belgium.
September 2001
Ruhrgas acts as the exclusive sponsor of the Amber Room restoration in Tsarskoye Selo, completed in May 2003 in the lead-up to the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg.
July 2003
Gazprom and Wintershall set up the Achimgaz joint venture to explore the first pilot block of the hard-to-reach Achimov deposits at the Urengoyskoye field.
Comprehensive gas treatment unit No. 22 at Block 2A of Achimov deposits, Urengoyskoye field
Gazprom and WINGAS sign the long-term Agreement to sell natural gas to the UK until 2028.
May 2005
Gazprom, RAG, and WINGAS sign the contract to construct Austria-based Haidach, the second-largest UGS facility (working gas inventories of 2.8 billion cubic meters) in Central Europe.
September 2005
Gazprom, BASF/Wintershall, and E.ON sign the agreement to construct the Nord Stream gas pipeline, a fundamentally new route for gas supplies from Russia to Europe across the Baltic Sea.
April 2006
Gazprom and E.ON Ruhrgas sign the Agreement on scientific & technical cooperation and personnel training and development.
April 2006
Gazprom and BASF/Wintershall sign the agreement to swap upstream and downstream assets. Pursuant to the document, Gazprom increases its share in the WINGAS joint venture to almost 50 per cent, and BASF/Wintershall obtains 25 per cent minus one share in Severneftegazprom, which is engaged in the development of the Yuzhno-Russkoye field. It is the first project implemented jointly with a foreign partner for creating a value chain from production to end consumers.
August 2006
Four major contracts for gas supplies between Gazprom and E.ON Ruhrgas are extended until 2035.
2007
The first train of the Haidach UGS facility is completed.
December 18, 2007
The Yuzhno-Russkoye field comes onstream.
July 15, 2008
The first block of the hard-to-reach Achimov deposits (Urengoyskoye field) is brought into test production. Drawing on the experience with Achimgaz, Gazprom introduces a new “benchmark” concept of cooperation with international partners in Russia-based upstream projects: profit from the project is received by a joint venture, while the field license is owned by the Russian company.
October 2008
Gazprom and E.ON sign the asset swap agreement. Pursuant to the agreement, a year later E.ON joins Gazprom’s Yuzhno-Russkoye oil and gas field project and Gazprom obtains full control in Gerosgaz owning 2.93 per cent of Gazprom’s shares.
May 2009
Gazprom and Verbundnetz Gas establish a consortium to construct the Katharina UGS facility in Germany.
April 2010
Construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline is launched. Wintershall and E.ON Ruhrgas hold 15.5 per cent each in Nord Stream AG, the pipeline operator.
May 2011
The Haidach UGS facility is completed.
August 2011
WINGAS completes the construction of the OPAL onshore gas pipeline connecting Nord Stream to European gas transmission networks.
September 2011
Construction of the Katharina UGS facility starts in Germany.
November 8, 2011
The first string of the Nord Stream gas pipeline commences commercial gas deliveries.
December 2011
Gazprom and Siemens sign the Agreement on strategic partnership stipulating further development and strengthening of cooperation between the companies in the Russian and international markets.
Gazprom and Wintershall complete the restoration of the Chinese Palace in the lead-up to the 300th anniversary of the palace ensemble in Oranienbaum (Peterhof).
September 2012
Organized by Gazprom and E.ON Ruhrgas, the Blue Corridor-2012 international rally of gas-powered vehicles runs through Moscow, Minsk, Warsaw, Prague, Paris, Brussels, Essen, and Berlin. After that, NGV rallies become a tradition.
October 8, 2012
The second string of the Nord Stream gas pipeline is brought into operation, boosting the gas pipeline’s annual capacity to 55 billion cubic meters of gas. The Nord Stream AG shareholders resolve that the construction of the third and the fourth strings is economically and technically feasible.
November 2012
Gazprom and Wintershall sign the legally binding Basic Agreement to swap assets from Blocks 4A and 5A in the Achimov deposits of the Urengoyskoye field for Gazprom’s participation in a number of upstream and downstream assets of the German partner.
January 2013
Gazprom and Verbundnetz Gas sign the Agreement on scientific and technical cooperation until 2030.
December 2013
Gazprom and Wintershall sign the Master Agreement regarding an asset swap, pursuant to which Gazprom increases its share in WINGAS, WIEH and WIEE, the joint ventures focused on gas sales and storage across Europe, to 100 per cent and obtains a 50 per cent stake in WINZ, the company involved in hydrocarbon exploration and production in the North Sea.
Wintershall, in its turn, gains 25.01 per cent in Blocks 4A and 5A of the Achimov deposits in the Urengoyskoye oil, gas and condensate field.
2015
Gazprom, BASF, Uniper, ENGIE, OMV, and Shell decide to construct the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline with the capacity of 55 cubic meters running from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea. The new pipeline will substantially enhance the reliability of gas supplies to European consumers for decades to come.
October 2015
Gazprom and Linde sign the Agreement on strategic cooperation.
May 2017
The Katharina UGS facility in Germany becomes operational.
September 2018
Construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is commenced in the Baltic Sea.
