Natural gas storage facilities: a secure supply from the depths of the earth

Since the late 1970’s EWE has operated its own subterranean natural gas storage facilities. EWE currently utilises storage facilities in Huntorf (in the district of Wesermarsch), Nüttermoor in East Frisia and Rüdersdorf near Berlin. Further storage facilities in Jemgum (East Frisia) and Moeckow (East Pomerania) are at the planning stage or under construction.

A large portion of its capacity is leased to other companies. EWE is looking to expand its storage services segment, in particular with its projects in Moeckow and Jemgum.

Natural gas storage is an important method of compensating for seasonal variations in natural gas demand against the backdrop of a continuous production of natural gas – the demand for natural gas on a cold winter's day is around five to ten times as high as on a summer day in August.  Energy suppliers use their storage capacities to guarantee nearly constant purchase volumes for their suppliers, achieving price advantages from which customers then benefit. The storage facilities also help to make the supply more secure. Should bottlenecks in natural gas production arise, supply to the consumers can be still guaranteed over a longer period of time as a result of the natural gas in the storage facilities.

EWE uses cavities in natural salt domes to store natural gas, a process known as cavern storage. The first stage in creating the cavity is drilling down to the level of the salt dome. Water is then pumped through the borehole into the salt formation. The water dissolves the salt and creates the cavity or cavern. The water becomes brine in the process of dissolving the salt and is removed in accordance with strict environmental protection requirements. The caverns are 200 to 450 metres high with a diameter of up to 100 metres. The natural gas can be stored in these caverns under high pressure.

EWE’s natural gas storage facilities