Every year, before winter begins, scheduled maintenance and servicing work is carried out at our natural gas storage facilities in Jemgum and Rehden. These activities are planned well in advance and are an important part of ensuring the safe and reliable operation of our sites. During this period, local residents may notice increased operational activity and temporary noise levels on site.

Maintaining the facility 

Above and below ground, a complex system of compressors, drying units, high-pressure pipelines, safety valves and monitoring and control systems ensures that natural gas can be safely injected into and withdrawn from storage. All of these systems are maintained and inspected according to a strict schedule that meets legal, regulatory and safety requirements..

Typical maintenance activities include recurring inspections of safety valves and high-pressure systems, servicing and inspection of compressor units used for gas injection and withdrawal and the modernisation of individual facility components.

To carry out this work safely, certain parts of the facility must first be depressurised. In some cases, this requires the controlled flaring of small quantities of natural gas using the site's flare systems. This standard industry procedure ensures that maintenance can be performed safely on the affected equipment.

Why is this necessary?

Storage facilities such as Jemgum and Rehden are part of the critical infrastructure supporting Europe’s energy supply. Precisely because these facilities perform such an important function, safety remains the highest priority.

The annual maintenance program helps ensure the long-term safety of the facilities, fulfils legal and regulatory inspection requirements and makes sure the facilities remain ready to operate whenever needed. After all, reliable operation is essential if customers are to depend on these facilities during periods of high demand or supply disruption.

What does this mean for local residents?

Maintenance projects of this scale rarely go unnoticed. Temporary disturbances may occur, particularly during the depressurisation of equipment or controlled flaring activities. In individual cases, certain tasks may also need to be carried out during the early morning or late evening hours.

That’s why we let local residents know in advance through local media announcements, and ask for their understanding while this work is being carried out.

When does the work take place?

We normally schedule major maintenance activities in late summer or early autumn. These periods are planned and communicated well in advance and are scheduled to fit both operational needs and seasonal conditions.

As a result, these maintenance activities represent a significant logistical undertaking. Rehden provides a good example of the scale involved: during the most recent major maintenance phase, around 100 people were working on site at the same time, including both SEFE specialists and external service providers and contractors.

The annual maintenance work at our storage sites is therefore far more than a routine procedure. It is the foundation that enables Jemgum and Rehden to continue making a reliable contribution to energy security in Germany and across Europe.