Gazprom and Wintershall (BASF) signed a master agreement to swap assets resulting in Gazprom to increase its stakes in European gas trading and storage companies Wingas, WIEH and WIEE to 100% and receiving a 50% stake in WINZ involved in hydrocarbon exploration and production in the North Sea. In its turn, Wintershall will obtain a 25.01% share in the project for developing blocks 4A and 5A in the Achimov deposits of the Urengoyskoye oil, gas and condensate field (Russia). The asset swap deal was approved by the European Commission on 3 December 2013.
WINZ and WIEE run natural gas exploration and production projects in the North Sea. Wingas supplies hydrocarbons to customers in Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic and Denmark. Its customers include municipal and regional gas suppliers, industrial enterprises and power plants. WIEH operates in the gas trading sector and performs natural gas purchasing, transportation, storage and marketing in various European countries.