The gas tap in Groningen will be closed further next year to a maximum of 8.1 billion cubic meters, Minister Eric Wiebes (Economic Affairs and Climate) reports Monday. That is 1.2 billion cubic meters less than was reported in mid-June.
“It is the first time since the late 1960s that less than 10 billion cubic meters has been extracted in Groningen”, Wiebes writes in a brief to the House of Representatives. The coalition agreement states that gas extraction in the coming years would be around 20 billion cubic meters.
According to the minister, the phasing-out of gas extraction from the Groningen field is progressing well. The gas tap is expected to be closed as much as possible by mid-2022. After this, a small number of stations for “exceptional situations” will remain available as a reserve resource, he says.
A minimal amount of gas is then extracted at these locations. This is to ensure that the stations remain available if gas production is unexpectedly needed again, for example during an extremely severe winter in combination with the failure of large installations. If that is no longer necessary, the use of the Groningen field will be discontinued permanently.
NAM against the use of Groningen gas field as a back-up
The Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM), the largest gas producer in the country, does not want the Groningen field to be used as a backup after 2022. According to the company, the gas field is not suitable for this and it is better to look for alternatives.
“It remains the cabinet’s ambition to close the field permanently as soon as possible”, Wiebes wrote on Monday. “That is why I have used the past period to keep looking for alternatives that can take over the back-up function of the Groningen field.” In his letter he mentions gas storage in Grijpskerk as a possible alternative.
The minister decided to say goodbye to the Groningen field in 2018 because of the problems caused by gas extraction. Gas extraction causes earthquakes that damage homes and also cause serious concern among the inhabitants of the region.
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