The energy relations between Germany and Norway were a central theme of the state visit by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel to Oslo on Wednesday.

As well as energy issues, European policy issues were the focus of a discussion with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Norway has long been an important partner for Wintershall in expanding natural gas and crude oil production, not just since the cooperation with Statoil.

"Norway is ready to intensify the energy partnership. Yet the billion-euro investments in Norway required for that will only be made under one condition: the planning security that Germany as a sales market will not collapse," Wintershall CEO Rainer Seele said during the state visit. The Norwegians wanted to know whether Germany was still committed to natural gas, and thus to Norwegian natural gas, since the energy turnaround was launched, Seele explained.

Germany is one of the largest sales markets for Norwegian oil and gas. Norway, in turn, belongs to Germany’s central and reliable energy suppliers. However, there are also risks in the view of observers, for feelings of insecurity are spreading on the Norwegian side.

This is because the energy turnaround seems to represent a paradox in many regards. Although it requires a balanced mix of renewable energies and natural gas, in Germany barely any investments are being made in gas-fired power stations. In fact, CO2 emissions are rising because more electricity is being produced from coal-fired power plants – even though gas is kinder to the climate than coal as it emits fewer CO2 emissions. "We have to do our homework in Germany and create the conditions that ensure that natural gas plays an important – and what’s more and increasingly important – role in the energy mix," Seele emphasized.

With gas production in the European Union declining, Germany should be expanding its partnerships with its most important supplier countries outside the EU, according to Seele. "It is in Germany’s vital interests to further deepen the energy relations with its proven partner Norway," the Wintershall CEO said. Energy experts also universally take this view.

Norway is also interested in further deepening energy relations with Germany. The comprehensive cooperation between the Norwegian energy group Statoil and Wintershall is a sign of this. The BASF subsidiary is expanding its oil and gas production in the North Sea as part of a billion-euro asset swap, while Statoil is cooperating with Wintershall on research projects – for example developing particularly environmentally friendly production methods for increasing the yield from existing reservoirs.