Development of Oil and Gas Exploration in the Eastern Part of Germany

Abstract

Although the presence of gas fields in eastern Germany, formerly GDR, was proved as early as the beginning of the century, an aggressive hydrocarbon exploration policy including geological, geophysical and drilling activities was implemented only in the 1950s. A resulting volume of 150,000 m drilled per year was achieved in the early 1960s. The Mesozoic of the North German-Polish Basin and the Zechstein of the Thuringia Basin were primary target horizons. Zechstein discoveries in the Thuringia Basin and disappointing results of Mesozoic exploration shifted the emphasis to the exploration of pre-Jurassic objectives in the following years. The oil field Reinkenhagen (Zechstein) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was discovered in 1961 and the gas field Salzwedel-Peckensen (Rotliegendes) in the Altmark region in 1968. Both are located in the North German-Polish Basin.