Harbour Energy successful with CMS: fast-track application against Germany's largest oil production facility rejected
Hamburg – Schleswig Higher Administrative Court (OVG) today rejected the fast-track application filed by Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe) against the main operation planning permission granted by the State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology for the extraction of crude oil from the Mittelplate drilling and production platform in the Wadden Sea off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein.
A CMS team led by Dr Christiane Kappes and Dr Neele Christiansen represented the project developer, Harbour Energy Germany, in the appeal proceedings before the Higher Administrative Court. At the beginning of March 2026 the CMS team had already secured an interim order by way of which the Court suspended a previous interim ruling by Schleswig Administrative Court and ensured that the Mittelplate drilling and production platform could continue to operate for the time being.
Harbour Energy is an international energy company specialising in the production of oil and natural gas which is driving the transformation of the energy sector through carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. In Germany, Harbour Energy Germany is one of the largest oil and gas producers and operates, among others, the Mittelplate drilling and production platform.
Crude oil has been being produced at the Mittelplate drilling and production platform in the Wadden Sea off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein since 1987. The annual amount produced accounts for approximately 55 % of Germany's total crude oil output. With annual revenue from mining royalties running into the high tens of millions of euros – totalling around 1.8 billion euros – the income from mining operations accounts for a significant proportion of the State of Schleswig-Holstein's budget. The drilling and production platform therefore significantly contributes towards a diversified and secure supply of crude oil in the Federal Republic of Germany.
The Higher Administrative Court has rejected the fast-track application which sought to stop production from the drilling and production platform. The project is designed to ensure a secure and diversified supply of crude oil in Germany. There is an overriding public interest in continuing production. This includes the supply of raw materials and energy as well as safeguarding around 2,000 jobs, the economic significance and the budgetary implications for the State of Schleswig-Holstein and the region. There are also compelling reasons in favour of the Habitats Directive not requiring a project-specific habitats impact assessment for the continued operation of the drilling and production platform, which was already granted final approval in 1985, and that production operations do not result in deterioration of the protected areas. From the summary examination in the interim proceedings, there is no indication that there will be irreversible or serious impairments to the conservation objectives of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park within the Natura 2000 site.
The case number at Schleswig Higher Administrative Court is 5 MB 5/26.
Pressekontakt
presse@cms-hs.com
