Nord-West Oelleitung

Nord-West Oelleitung GmbH (NWO) is a German pipeline and terminal operator headquartered in Wilhelmshaven. Founded in November 1956, the company was created to build and operate the Nord-West Oelleitung, the first long-distance crude oil pipeline in Europe, which began service on 29 November 1958. Its purpose was to secure feedstock supply for several refineries in the Emsland and Rhine-Ruhr regions, and the choice of Wilhelmshaven as the starting point was driven by the deep-water Jade Bay, which can accommodate even the largest laden tankers. NWO's operations comprise three main elements: a tanker unloading bridge at the oil port of Wilhelmshaven, a tank farm on the 170-hectare company premises, and the crude oil long-distance pipelines with all associated technical installations. The main Nord-West Oelleitung runs 391 km from Wilhelmshaven to Wesseling with a diameter of 71 cm and a capacity of roughly 16.3 million tonnes of mineral oil per year, supplying the Emsland refinery in Lingen, Ruhr Oel / Gelsenkirchen refinery in Scholven and Horst, and the Rhineland refinery in Wesseling. NWO also operates the Norddeutsche Oelleitung, a 142 km, 56 cm line from Wilhelmshaven to Hamburg that supplies the Holborn Europa Raffinerie in Hamburg-Harburg. The company's facilities are connected to three cavern storage sites of Germany's strategic crude oil reserve at Wilhelmshaven-Rüstringen, Etzel and Ochtrup. The tank farm has a total capacity of 1.6 million cubic metres, including 26 floating-roof tanks of 30,000 m³ each and nine floating-roof tanks of 100,000 m³ each. The tanker unloading bridge extends 670 m eastward into the fairway edge and has a north-south cross-section about 1,200 m long with three unloading heads; it can handle tankers up to 260,000 dwt fully laden and up to 350,000 dwt partially laden. The entire pipeline is remotely controlled and monitored from a control centre on the Wilhelmshaven site, with two dispatchers responsible for the tank farm and unloading bridge on the one hand and the pipelines and their installations on the other. Pump stations are located in Wilhelmshaven (with four pumps of up to 3.2 MW each), Ostenwalde and Ochtrup; a fourth station at Mülheim/Ruhr formerly existed and the site now hosts an operating base for the southern section of the pipeline. Maximum pressure directly behind the first pump station reaches 65 bar, and oil moves through the line at about 3 to 5 km/h. Since operations began, more than 1 billion tonnes of mineral oil have been handled via over 19,000 tankers. In 2020, 18.2 million tonnes were handled from 236 tankers. In 2022, 39.5% of delivered mineral oil came from Europe, followed by 37.5% from North and South America, 9.9% from former Soviet Union countries, 7.9% from Africa and 4.9% from the Middle East. NWO is owned by Shell Deutschland Oil GmbH (20.40%), Holborn Europa Raffinerie GmbH (20.27%), Ruhr Oel GmbH (33.69%) and BP Europa SE (25.64%). The company participates in the BIL portal, the nationwide pipeline research information system operated by a cooperative. NWO employs around 140 people.

Nord-West Oelleitung GmbH was founded in November 1956 with the goal of building and operating the Nord-West Oelleitung, the first long-distance mineral oil pipeline in Europe. The pipeline was intended to secure raw material supply for several mineral oil refineries in the Emsland and Rhine-Ruhr regions. The decisive factor for choosing Wilhelmshaven as the site was its deep-water port, which even the largest laden tankers can call at. Operations began on 29 November 1958 with three unloading heads and a single pump station in Wilhelmshaven. The newly built oil port of Wilhelmshaven went on to become the most important mineral oil import port of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1961, the company reached its highest staffing level of 230 employees. A pump station in Ostenwalde was commissioned in 1963, followed by the last (fourth) pump station in Mülheim in 1966. A fourth unloading head was commissioned in 1971. In 1973, a parallel 40-inch pipeline to Hünxe was commissioned to meet increased capacity demand. In 1974, the new unloading head 4 was completely destroyed in an accident when a tanker was berthing and was rebuilt in an improved form. In 1984, under the management of Alfred Kittel (born 1918), the 40-inch pipeline from kilometre 55 was sold and is now operated as a gas pipeline. In 1999, the unloading heads were completely renewed, leaving only three. In 2006, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary, having handled 850 million tonnes of mineral oil to date, with 142 employees remaining. In 2014, the one-billionth tonne of mineral oil was handled. Since commissioning, more than 1 billion tonnes of mineral oil have been handled via over 19,000 tankers. In 2020, 18.2 million tonnes were handled from 236 tankers. In 2022, 39.5% of delivered mineral oil came from Europe, followed by 37.5% from North and South America, 9.9% from former Soviet Union countries, 7.9% from Africa and 4.9% from the Middle East. The company is owned by Shell Deutschland Oil GmbH (20.40%), Holborn Europa Raffinerie GmbH (20.27%), Ruhr Oel GmbH (33.69%) and BP Europa SE (25.64%). NWO participates in the BIL portal, the nationwide pipeline research information system operated by a cooperative. The company employs around 140 people and its premises cover 170 hectares.

• 2014

  Celebration of the one-billionth tonne of mineral oil handled.

• 2006

  50th anniversary celebration; 850 million tonnes of mineral oil handled to date; 142 employees.

• 1999

  Unloading heads completely renewed, leaving only three.

• 1984

  Sale of the 40-inch pipeline from kilometre 55 under management of Alfred Kittel; now operated as a gas pipeline.

• 1974

  Unloading head 4 completely destroyed in an accident during tanker berthing; rebuilt in improved form.

• 1973

  Commissioning of the parallel 40-inch pipeline to Hünxe due to increased capacity demand.

• 1971

  Commissioning of the fourth unloading head.

• 1966

  Commissioning of the last (fourth) pump station in Mülheim.

• 1963

  Commissioning of the pump station in Ostenwalde.

• 1961

  Highest staffing level: 230 employees.

• 1958

  Start of operations on 29 November with three unloading heads and one pump station in Wilhelmshaven.

• 1956

  Founding of Nord-West Oelleitung GmbH in November.

Germany's hub for the transshipment, storage and throughput of mineral oil, operating Europe's first long-distance crude oil pipeline and the most important mineral oil import port of the Federal Republic.

• Nord-West Oelleitung pipeline

  391 km, 71 cm diameter, capacity approx. 16.3 million tonnes per year; supplies refineries in Lingen, Gelsenkirchen (Scholven and Horst) and Wesseling.

• Norddeutsche Oelleitung pipeline

  142 km, 56 cm diameter; supplies the Holborn Europa Raffinerie in Hamburg-Harburg; NWO is the operating company.

• Tanker unloading bridge

  Access bridge extending 670 m eastward into the fairway edge; north-south cross-section about 1,200 m long with three unloading heads; handles tankers up to 260,000 dwt fully laden and up to 350,000 dwt partially laden.

• Tank farm

  Total capacity 1.6 million m³: 26 floating-roof tanks of 30,000 m³ each and 9 floating-roof tanks of 100,000 m³ each.

• Remote control centre

  Controls and monitors the entire pipeline; two dispatchers manage the tank farm and unloading bridge and the pipelines and installations.

• Pump stations

  Located in Wilhelmshaven (four pumps up to 3.2 MW each), Ostenwalde and Ochtrup; maximum pressure up to 65 bar; oil flows at about 3–5 km/h.

1. 1NWO – Nord-West Oelleitung GmbHnwowhv.de
2. 2Nord-West Oelleitung – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Nord-West Oelleitung – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org