The earthquake-affected area of ​​the Netherlands was subjected to additional gas extraction

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The Dutch government sparked outrage by announcing that it may have to double the amount of gas it is pumping in this year from a northern province that has been hit by a series of small earthquakes in recent years.

“I realize that it is to the disappointment of the people in the earthquake area that it has already been proven that more gas is necessary,” Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Stef Blok said on Friday.

The government has pledged to phase out gas extraction in the county of Groningen because activity has been blamed for earthquakes that have badly damaged homes in the area.

But the Ministry of Economic Affairs said Thursday night that the amount of gas to be pumped this year could double due to long-term contracts with neighboring Germany and construction delays at a facility that makes imported gas suitable for use in the Netherlands.

The lobby group for residents who have suffered millions of euros in damage to their homes over the years has criticized the announcement.

“Earth Movement Groningen considers it incomprehensible that the Ministry of Economic Affairs is choosing to open the gas tap further,” the group said in a statement. The government should not and cannot take the safety of its citizens lightly.

The group said that a plan to consolidate or rebuild damaged homes was proceeding slowly and that the planned increase in extraction “meaning that the unsafe situation in Groningen would continue for much longer”.

The government has reduced the amount of gas being pumped out of Groningen in recent years and says it still needs to extract more from mid-2022, assuming there are no harsh winter conditions. A few pumping stations that can be quickly reopened if necessary will remain on standby.

The government is expected to make a final decision by April

The government had expected to pump 3.9 billion cubic meters between October 2021 and October 2022. The ministry said that figure could now rise to 7.6 billion. The government is expected to make a final decision by April.

The Dutch ministry said the increased demand is partly caused by supply contracts with Germany, where energy-saving measures aimed at reducing Dutch gas use have not reduced consumption as much as hoped.

The ministry said that Block urged his German counterpart this week to do everything in his power to ensure that the additional capacity is not needed.

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