Welcome to the IVG Cavern Information Centre Etzel
- IVG Cavern Site Etzel
- Gas cavern well head
The cavern site Etzel is situated on the North German energy hub near Wilhelmshaven, with a connection to the deep water port. IVG is in the cavern business since 1971 and has a great deal of experience in constructing (leaching), operating and leasing caverns. IVG Caverns originally managed the site in Etzel partly on a trustee basis for the Federal German government well until 2005.
The cavern site currently includes 52 existing gas and oil storage caverns with a capacity of approximately 29 million cubic metres. Moreover, IVG holds the rights to build additional caverns, a total of about 130 caverns is planned to be realized in the next years.
The completed caverns are rented to companies in the energy branch and to petroleum stockpiling agencies in Europe. The storage caverns are connected to the European energy grid by oil and gas pipelines. They are used by customers to cover peaks in consumption, as interim storage for import deliveries and in particular for the storage of a large part of the strategic oil reserves for Germany.
The market for the storage of oil and gas is becoming more important than ever: As the extraction of most raw materials takes place in politically unstable regions, commodity prices are always subject to strong fluctuations. Oil and gas suppliers are reacting to this situation by trying to counteract fluctuations by setting up an appropriate storage infrastructure. The resulting rising demand for oil and gas storage facilities opens up considerable business opportunities for IVG Caverns.
- Panorama view IVG site Etzel (Click to view)
History: 40 Years IVG Etzel Oil and Gas Storage Site
| 1970 | German Government decrees „Federal Petroleum Reserve“ |
| 1973 | Leaching begins for 33 caverns at the Etzel salt dome |
| 1977 | Filling of the oil cavern is completed, with a volume of 13 million m³ being used |
| 1989–1992 | Conversion of 9 caverns for gas storage |
| 1993 | Start-up for the Etzel gas storage (EGL) |
| 1994–1999 | Construction and start-up of pipelines for enhanced gas feed-in into the German utilities grid |
| 1994–2004 | Construction of another seven caverns |
| Since 2007 | Development from a crude oil storage into one of the largest gas storage site anywhere |
| 2010 | The first new four caverns are handed over to a customer |
| 2011 | 40th anniversary IVG at Site Etzel |
"Infobox" of the IVG Cavern Information Center at Etzel Cavern Storage Site
- Infopoint IVG Cavern Information Centre Etzel (Beim Postweg 2, D-26446 Friedeburg)
As a part of IVG’s communication with local residents and the public, the IVG Caverns Information Centre Etzel went live in spring 2010, featuring a public hotline, a website and the opening of the “Infobox” at the entrance of the IVG compound in Etzel.
The subject of “Energy Storage in Caverns” is mediated personally using photographs, scale models, and typical exhibits such as salt drilling cores from 1000 metres below. The centrepieces of the exhibition are a large scale model of the Etzel salt dome and interactive screens that show films and animations. The Infobox also serves as starting point for visiting groups on the site.
IVG Caverns Information Centre Etzel
Phone +49 (0) 44 65 / 977 93 39
E-Mail: infozentrum-etzel@ivg.de
www.kavernen-informationszentrum-etzel.de
Opening times: Monday till Thursday 09.00 - 16.00 o´clock / Friday: 09.00 - 13.00 o´clock
Visit us!
About IVG Caverns GmbH
- Click to download the company brochure of IVG Caverns GmbH
Constructing caverns for underground storage of petroleum and natural gas, as well as operating and letting them, is the key business of IVG Caverns.
The completed caverns are rented to companies in the energy branch and to petroleum stockpiling agencies in Europe. IVG Caverns GmbH is a subsidiary of IVG Immobilien AG seated in Bonn.
More information needed? Please find here the recent IVG Caverns brochure "Cavern Storage Etzel: Securing Supplies of Natural Gas and Oil" for download.
About IVG Immobilien AG
Find out more about IVG Immobilien AG here.
Contact
IVG Cavern Information Centre Etzel
Beim Postweg 2
D-26446 Friedeburg
Phone: +49 (0) 4465 977 93 39
Fax: +49 (0) 4465 97880-90
E-Mail: infozentrum-etzel@ivg.de
IVG Caverns GmbH
Cavern Site Etzel
Beim Postweg 2
26446 Friedeburg
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 4465 809-0
E-Mail: caverns@ivg.de
For further information please contact:
IVG Caverns GmbH
Public and Media Relations
Armin Garbe
Tel. +49 (0) 4465 97880-43
armin.garbe@ivg.de
