Mittelplate: Higher Administrative Court ruling provides clarity for responsible oil production
Friedrichskoog/Hamburg, 12 May 2026
Today, the Higher Administrative Court of Schleswig-Holstein (OVG) ruled that safe and reliable oil production from the Mittelplate field, which has been carried out for four decades in accordance with the highest international environmental standards, may continue. In its decision, the court appropriately balanced the responsibility of the state, the regulatory authorities and industry for ensuring a secure supply of energy and raw materials, protecting the environment, and safeguarding employees’ interests. The ruling is legally binding and cannot be appealed.
“The court’s decision today is to be welcomed, as it creates legal and planning certainty for domestic energy and raw material production. It therefore confirms the reliable framework for our safe and responsible extraction of raw materials,” says Claudia Kromberg, Managing Director of Harbour Energy Germany GmbH. “The court reached its decision with sound judgement and common sense, carefully balancing the different interests involved. Especially in times of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, a continuous supply of raw materials through a short pipeline directly to customers is important for our country,” Kromberg continued.
Mittelplate is Germany’s largest oil field. More than half of all oil produced in Germany comes from this field, and around 60 percent of the country’s remaining oil reserves are located there. Since production began in October 1987, 43 million tonnes of oil have been extracted safely and reliably. Domestic oil is quickly and reliably available and has significantly less impact on the environment than imported oil.
Production has always been carried out under strict legal requirements and in accordance with high environmental and safety standards. From the very beginning, Harbour Energy Germany has operated the Mittelplate drilling and production island responsibly, in an environmentally compatible manner and in full compliance with all applicable legal requirements. The environmental compatibility of operations is also demonstrated by the FFH assessments conducted in the past for operational activities.
The extracted oil reaches the processing industry on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein via a short, low-emission transport route and is refined there into important basic products and everyday goods. The associated value chains secure around 2,000 jobs.
