BEB Erdgas und Erdöl

BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH & Co. KG is a German oil and natural gas company headquartered in Hannover. It is a 50/50 joint venture between subsidiaries of Shell Deutschland and Esso Deutschland. The company's name derives from its predecessor, Brigitta Elwerath Betriebsführungsgesellschaft mbH, which was formed in 1969 by merging the two mining unions (Gewerkschaften) Brigitta and Elwerath. The roots of these two entities reach back to the 19th century: the Elwerath union was founded in 1866 for iron ore mining and began oil operations in 1920, while the Brigitta union became active under mining law in 1932, with name rights dating to 1867. Shell and Esso gradually acquired stakes, reaching 50% each in 1966, and in 1969 the two unions were combined under the BEB umbrella. For much of the late 20th century, BEB was the leading oil and gas producer in Germany. It was also a major shareholder in Ruhrgas AG, holding 25% of its shares. In 1986, following changes in German mining law, the mining unions were converted into GmbHs, and the operating company was renamed BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH. Over the 2000s, BEB progressively divested its operating businesses. In 2002, oil and gas production was spun off to ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH (EMPG). In 2004, the gas trading business was transferred to ExxonMobil and Shell entities. In 2008, the gas transmission network was sold to Gasunie Deutschland. In 2011, the underground gas storage subsidiary BEB Speicher GmbH, including the Uelsen and Harsefeld storage facilities, was sold to Storengy, and the crude oil and sulphur marketing activities were transferred to Shell and Esso. Today, BEB operates as a pure holding company. From its Hannover headquarters, it manages all mining activities under its mining rights in Germany and holds and administers its owned oil and gas production facilities, gas processing plants, field pipeline systems, gas drying and compressor stations, and operating and administrative buildings. It has contracted ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH to operate all of its facilities. The company remains an 80% shareholder in Erdöl-Raffinerie Deurag-Nerag GmbH, the operator of the former refinery in Hannover-Misburg. BEB is a private joint venture and is not listed on any stock exchange.

The history of BEB Erdgas und Erdöl is rooted in two German mining unions (Gewerkschaften) whose origins date back to the 19th century. The Gewerkschaft Elwerath was founded in 1866 to mine iron ore, and its active oil business began in 1920. During the Nazi era's autarky efforts, Elwerath became a major investor in the Reichsbohrprogramm and a significant partner in oil consortia such as Karpaten-Öl AG and Kontinentale Öl AG, which explored and produced oil in Alsace, Galicia, South Moravia, and Slovakia. The Gewerkschaft Brigitta became active under mining law in 1932, though its first miners' assembly took place in 1921 and its name rights date to 1867. Its owners were Mij. tot Exploratie van Delfstoffen (MED, The Hague, Shell group) and Jadev Corporations Delaware (USA, Esso group), each holding 50%. In 1951, Deutsche Shell AG and Esso AG first acquired shares in the company, each holding 11.5%. Their stakes increased to 16% each in 1962 and to 50% each in 1966. On 24 April 1969, the unions Brigitta and Elwerath were merged under the umbrella of BEB Gewerkschaften Brigitta und Elwerath Betriebsführungsgesellschaft mbH, jointly owned 50/50 by Deutsche Shell AG and Esso AG. The abbreviation BEB derives from Brigitta Elwerath Betriebsführungsgesellschaft. BEB Brigitta und Elwerath was also a major shareholder in Ruhrgas AG with 25% of shares, the largest long-distance gas network operator and gas trading company in Germany in the second half of the 20th century. Following the abolition of the mining union legal form under § 163 of the Federal Mining Act of 13 August 1980, effective 1 January 1986, the unions Brigitta and Elwerath were converted into GmbHs and renamed Brigitta Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH and Elwerath Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH. The operating company was then called BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH. As a subsidiary of Shell and Esso (each 50%), BEB developed into the leading oil and gas company in Germany. In the 2000s, BEB underwent significant restructuring and divestment. Effective 1 September 2002, oil and gas production was spun out of BEB and transferred, together with the business of MEEG, to ExxonMobil subsidiary EMPG (ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH). Shell thus gave up direct control over production operations. As part of gas market liberalization, effective 1 April 2004, the gas trading business was transferred to EMGMKG (ExxonMobil) and SEMKG (Shell), leaving BEB as a pure transport and storage service company. Effective 1 October 2007, the corporate structure was simplified: the existing GmbH & Co. KGs were merged with their holding companies, leaving only BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH, BEB Transport GmbH, BEB Speicher GmbH, and BEB Transport und Speicher Service GmbH. From 1 July 2008, the transport pipeline network of BEB Transport GmbH and the entire BEB gas transmission business were taken over by Gasunie Deutschland, headquartered in Hannover. Effective 1 September 2011, BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH sold its 100% subsidiary BEB Speicher GmbH, including the two underground gas storage facilities Uelsen and Harsefeld and the storage marketing business, to Storengy Deutschland Infrastructures (a subsidiary of GDF Suez). At the same time, crude oil and sulphur marketing were transferred to companies of BEB's shareholders: on Shell's side to Shell Erdgasbeteiligungsgesellschaft mbH and Shell Deutschland Oil GmbH, and on Esso's side to Esso Deutschland GmbH. Today, BEB is a pure holding company with no operational activities of its own. From its Hannover headquarters, it is responsible for all mining activities under its mining rights in Germany and holds and administers its owned oil and gas production facilities, gas processing plants, field pipeline systems, gas drying and compressor stations, and operating and administrative buildings. It has commissioned ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH (EMPG) to operate all of its facilities. The company remains 80% owner of Erdöl-Raffinerie Deurag-Nerag GmbH, the operator of the former refinery in Hannover-Misburg. The shareholders of BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH & Co. KG are BEB Beteiligungs GmbH, Hamburg, as general partner (Komplementär), and Shell Verwaltungsgesellschaft für Erdgasbeteiligungen mbH, Hamburg, and ESSO Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Hamburg, as limited partners (Kommanditisten).

• 2011

  BEB Speicher GmbH and underground storage facilities sold to Storengy; crude oil and sulphur marketing transferred to Shell and Esso.

• 2008

  Gas transmission network taken over by Gasunie Deutschland.

• 2007

  Corporate structure simplified; BEB Transport GmbH, BEB Speicher GmbH, and BEB Transport und Speicher Service GmbH remain.

• 2004

  Gas trading business transferred to ExxonMobil and Shell entities.

• 2002

  Oil and gas production spun off to ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH (EMPG).

• 1986

  Mining unions converted into GmbHs; operating company renamed BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH.

• 1969

  Brigitta and Elwerath unions merged under BEB Gewerkschaften Brigitta und Elwerath Betriebsführungsgesellschaft mbH.

• 1966

  Shell and Esso increase stakes to 50% each.

• 1962

  Shell and Esso increase stakes to 16% each.

• 1951

  Deutsche Shell AG and Esso AG first acquire shares (11.5% each).

• 1932

  Gewerkschaft Brigitta becomes active under mining law.

• 1921

  First miners' assembly of Gewerkschaft Brigitta.

• 1920

  Elwerath begins active oil business.

• 1867

  Name rights for Brigitta originate.

• 1866

  Gewerkschaft Elwerath founded for iron ore mining.

Historically Germany's largest natural gas and sulphur producer; now a pure holding company managing mining rights and production assets on behalf of its Shell and Esso parents.

• Natural gas

  Produced from German fields, primarily in Lower Saxony.

• Crude oil

  Produced and marketed historically; marketing transferred to Shell and Esso in 2011.

• Sulphur

  BEB was Germany's largest sulphur producer; marketing transferred in 2011.

• Gas storage services

  Provided via BEB Speicher GmbH until sale to Storengy in 2011.

• Gas transmission services

  Provided via BEB Transport GmbH until sale to Gasunie in 2008.

1. 1BEB Erdgas und Erdöl GmbH & Co. KG – Official Websitebeb.de
2. 2BEB Über unsbeb.de
3. 3BEB Erdgas und Erdöl – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
4. 4BEB Erdgas und Erdöl – Wikidatawikidata.org