Energy for today. Responsibility for tomorrow: this is the guiding principle behind our ongoing development of the Römerberg oil field near Speyer. Together with our consortium partner Palatina GeoCon, we have been producing domestic raw materials here since 2008 - safely and in accordance with the highest environmental standards. With the eleventh well, Römerberg 10, we will continue to invest in the future of the site in 2025 and make a contribution to the regional supply of raw materials.
Further development of local promotion
October 2025 marks a milestone: Römerberg 10 is our eleventh well to be drilled in the field. A strong sign of our continuous development and the commitment of our team on site.
The consortium is also planning to further expand the above-ground facilities at both central field stations in the city. No additional areas are required for this, but there are new and more efficient facilities for so-called crude oil processing. The team is also building new crude oil tanks with a larger capacity.
Promotion of two cluster sites
In Speyer, we produce local crude oil from a total of two central field stations. To date, the consortium has drilled eleven wells at both sites together. There are now four wells at the so-called Cluster Site I in the north-west of Speyer in Siemensstrasse. The consortium drilled the last well, Römerberg 6, in 2022. The second cluster site is located in the north-east of Speyer near Franz-Kirrmeier-Straße. This site is home to a total of six wells. The next one on this site is currently being planned and will be Römerberg 10.
The two central field stations are designed in such a way that the wells emanating from them can reach all areas of the known oil field without causing any disturbance in populated areas.
The two operating sites are specially designed for oil production and consist of a liquid-tight inner area as well as bypass and set-up areas and an asphalted access road. A drainage system prevents liquids from entering the ground. This means that crude oil can be produced on the central field stations and at the same time the site is prepared so that new wells can be drilled. The extracted crude oil is removed on site by tanker lorry and transported to the refinery in Karlsruhe.
Our history: Local oil production since 2008
The Upper Rhine Graben offers interesting conditions for domestic crude oil deposits. This is also the case in Speyer, where crude oil has been successfully and safely produced from the Römerberg field since 2008.
It all began with a chance discovery in 2003: oil was unexpectedly discovered at a depth of around 2,500 metres during a well that was actually aimed at producing geothermal energy. Two companies joined forces to produce the oil safely and responsibly: Palatina GeoCon as the licence holder and Neptune Energy as the operator. As a consortium, we produce the valuable raw material from the reservoir, which bears the name "Römerberg-Speyer".
About the Römerberg-Speyer reservoir
The reservoir has an elongated shape and extends from north-east to south-west at a depth of around 2,000 to 2,500 metres below Speyer. At this depth there are rocks, mainly red sandstone, which have absorbed the crude oil over the course of the earth's history. According to current knowledge, the reservoir is five to six square kilometres in size. From today's perspective, the extraction period will be around 30 years.
Safe extraction of domestic raw materials
For us, protecting our environment is not just a matter of official requirements, but also characterises all of our activities. It goes without saying that we comply with the applicable regulations and the relevant laws. All our work is supervised by the Rhineland-Palatinate State Office for Geology and Mining. This and other specialised authorities such as the Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Süd and the local environmental, water and nature conservation authorities ensure that the very high environmental standards applicable in Rhineland-Palatinate and throughout Germany are adhered to and monitor these on an ongoing basis.
Summary: Facts, figures and data on oil production in Speyer
- We have been safely producing crude oil from domestic raw materials in the Römerberg field north of Speyer since 2008
- The reservoir is located at a depth of around 2,000 to 2,500 metres.
- The area covers around 5 to 6 square kilometres.
- The extraction period is estimated to be around 30 years
- There are two central field stations, Cluster I and Cluster II
- Cluster I (Siemensstrasse): Römerberg 1 (2008), 7 (2014/15), 8 (2018/19), 6 (2022) wells.
- Cluster II (Franz-Kirrmeier-Straße): Wells 2, 3, 4, 5 (2010-2017) plus auxiliary wells H1 and H2
