Groningen extension "a last resort," Dutch minister says
The Dutch junior economic affairs minister Hans Vijbrief has suggested the onshore Groningen gas field, once Europe's largest gas producer, should only have its lifespan extended in light of the current energy crisis as a "last resort", Reuters reported June 7.
Vijbrief disagreed with the Dutch Mines Council's assessment that Groningen should be used to bring Dutch gas storage up to full capacity, beyond the EU's statutory 80% target, which is due to take effect from October. The council said: "The goal should be to fill the storages to the maximum, not to the European minimum. Using the Groningen field to fill the storages and as an emergency measure is, in the eyes of the Mines Council, a real option to take into consideration and prepare."
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Groningen is Europe's largest gas producer, but it also produces earthquakes that regulators say make extraction untenable. It is due to close completely next year, three years ahead of its original schedule. Dutch regulators reiterated that Groningen was unsafe in March, shortly after the war in Ukraine began.
The government in January doubled the amount of gas permitted to be produced at Groningen in the year ending October 1, 2022, to 7.6bn m3, from a previous quota of 3.9bn m3. The Netherlands has a new LNG import project underway at Eemshaven - with a nameplate 8bn m3/yr capacity - but will also need to shore up nearer term security of supply.
Groningen's closure was always subject to certain escape clauses. Dutch transmission system operator Gasunie has said previously Groningen could remain on standby well after 2023, supplying gas during extra cold periods and/or in case of severe outages.