HSE Annual Report 2010 (English) - WINTERSHALL

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GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
Emissions released into the air are regularly controlled and recorded in accordance with statutory stipulations
and our own standards. Apart from greenhouse gas emissions, we also ascertain emissions of air pollutants.
They include inorganic gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (as NO ² ) and sulfur dioxide
(as SO ² ). Apart from carbon dioxide (CO ² ), nitrous oxide (NOx) and methane (CH 4), no other greenhouse
gases are emitted by Wintershall.
Wintershall was able to cut greenhouse gas emissions last year by 11 percent compared with 2009.
Production operations at Wintershall and WINGAS accounted for total emissions of 1.37 million tonnes of
CO ² (2009: 1.67 million) and 3,318 tonnes of CH 4 (2009: 5,940) in 2010. Relative to Wintershall’s production
of crude oil, natural gas and condensate, the specific emission is 0.08 tonnes of CO ² /toe (2009: 0.08).
Methane losses in gas production in 2010 were around 0.024 percent of the total quantity of natural gas
produced.
source oF co ² emissions co ² emissions 2009 (t) co ² emissions 2010 (t)
Production processes 1,507,838 828,579
Indirect (import/export of electricity/steam) 46,814 79,715
Direct (electricity and steam production) 123,079 465,135
source of ch 4 emissions ch 4 emissions in (t) 2009 ch 4 emissions in (t) 2010
Production, undifferentiated 5,940 3,318
The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is mainly attributable to rigorous measures to improve energy
efficiency, such as commissioning of a CHP plant to produce electricity at Emlichheim, lower emissions in
the Netherlands and further implementation of the No Flaring Policy. Of the produced associated gas 95 %
is used to the date.
FOR AN ENvIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FUTURE: NATURAL GAS.
Natural gas stands out among fossil fuels on account of its high energy efficiency and favorable environmental
properties. When natural gas is burned, it gives off mainly CO ² and water vapor. Sulfur and nitrogen
are found only in low concentrations. Far fewer greenhouse gases and dust particles are emitted compared
to other fossil fuels.
During transportation process from the production field to the customer, natural gas sometimes travels
several thousand kilometers through pipelines. The gas has to be compressed at regular intervals in compressor
stations in order to compensate for the pressure loss caused by friction at the interior pipe wall.
Electric, gas and steam turbines are used to drive the compressors. virtually sulfur-free natural gas is used
as fuel for the gas turbines.