Baumgarten an der March

Significance for the energy sector

Baumgarten is well known thanks to its important role in the Austrian energy sector. The Baumgarten gas hub was developed at the site of the central production facility of the spent Zwerndorf gas field, and came online in 1959. The first gas shipment from Russia was received in 1968. Over the past few decades, Baumgarten has become one of Europe’s most important gas supply hubs. Each year around 40 billion cubic metres are distributed from the Baumgarten gas reception station to the rest of Austria, and to Western, Southern and Southeastern Europe.

The gas reception facilities run by Gas Connect Austria and by TAG GmbH, the operator of the Trans Austria Gasleitung (TAG) pipeline, are located on an 18 hectare (ha) site. These facilities comprise a range of equipment such as filter separators, gas dryer units, several compressor units (some of them electric), gas coolers and metering sections. Incoming gas deliveries are compressed and then pumped into the West-Austria-Gasleitung (WAG) and TAG pipelines. Part of the gas is also transported to Hungary via the Hungaria Austria Gasleitung (HAG).

Gas reserves are stored in the underground facilities in Tallesbrunn and Schönkirchen, both of which are depleted gas fields. Imported gas is pumped into these storage plants. There are also underground storage facilities in Thann and Puchkirchen in Upper Austria, and in Haidach bei Strasswalchen on the border between Salzburg and Upper Austria. The storage facilities in Puchkirchen and Haidach are operated by Rohöl-Aufsuchungs Aktiengesellschaft (RAG). The total volume of gas at Austria’s storage plants is sufficient to cover the annual consumption of Austria.