Germany contains major oil spill after pipeline leak near Berlin UPDATED

Emergency services in Germany have brought under control a significant oil spill in Brandenburg, where at least 200,000 liters of crude oil leaked from a pipeline north of Berlin.

Firefighters dispatched to the site near the village of Gramzow completed their operation between 2 and 3 a.m. local time (0100–0200 GMT), a spokesperson for the regional emergency coordination center confirmed, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The leak occurred on December 10 evening during a workplace accident along the pipeline, which transports crude from the Baltic Sea port of Rostock to the PCK refinery in Schwedt.

According to the refinery operator PCK, preliminary findings indicate that the incident was caused by preparatory work for a scheduled safety test on the pipeline. “Deliberate interference has been ruled out,” the company stated.

The fire brigade reported that the oil burst several metres into the air from a small rupture at a pumping station before spilling onto nearby farmland. Alexander Trenn, head of the Schwedt fire brigade, said that responders had successfully removed all visible contamination from the area.

“By the time we left the site, all oil puddles were gone,” Trenn said, noting that clean-up efforts had focused on containing environmental damage as quickly as possible.

Around 100 firefighters and 25 PCK employees were on site in the evening of  December 10.

Special suction vehicles were deployed to collect the large quantity of oil, and crews worked with heavy machinery to contain the spread.

Authorities are expected to continue environmental assessments as the investigation into the exact circumstances of the accident proceeds.

12:58

Authorities in Brandenburg have reported a significant oil spill north of Berlin following a pipeline accident near Gramzow/Zehnebeck.

Emergency services remain on site as efforts continue to contain the spill. Details on the cause and full extent of the damage are still being assessed, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

"An accident occurred on the PCK pipeline near Gramzow/Zehnebeck, resulting in a large oil spill," a spokesman for Brandenburg's Environment Ministry said. "Emergency services are on site. No information can be provided at this time about the cause or exact extent of the damage."

The fire department later estimated that approximately 200,000 liters (about 52,835 gallons) of oil had escaped from the pipeline at a pumping station in Gramzow. For reference, this volume would fill just under one-tenth of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Alexander Trenn of the Schwedt fire department said the leak reached a pressure of around 20 bar (roughly 290 psi) at its peak, causing a fountain of oil several meters high. Specialist machinery is being used to remove the spilled oil, with clean-up operations expected to continue into December 11 morning. Trenn added that around 100 fire department personnel and 25 company employees were deployed at the scene.

The leak occurred near the PCK refinery in Schwedt, close to the Polish border. The facility, one of Germany’s largest, can process 11.5 million metric tons of crude oil annually. It is connected via pipeline to the major Baltic Sea port of Rostock. Local public broadcaster reported that by 19:45 local time (1845 UTC), "the leak was for the most part plugged, although some oil was still leaking out."

The area surrounding the refinery is heavily forested and includes several nature reserves and national parks. Gramzow is located slightly northwest of Schwedt, near the northern tip of a large protected area, while the Oder River runs through the region, forming much of the border with Poland.

PCK spokeswoman stated that "deliberate external influence" such as sabotage could already be "ruled out." Authorities are investigating the incident, which appears to have been caused by a technical failure at the pipeline rather than any intentional act.

🇩🇪 Wyciek ropy z rurociągu łączącego rafinerię PCK Schwedt z portem w Rostocku.

Gramzow, 20+ km od granicy z Polską.

Przyczyna na razie nieznana. pic.twitter.com/xLYk8Ohf3E

— 1 Star (@PawelSokala) December 10, 2025

By Vafa Guliyeva