Netherlands: Coalition Partner Opposes Shale Gas Exploration

The Dutch Labour Party (PvdA), a coalition partner in the present government, will vote against shale gas exploration in the Netherlands.

During last weekend's party congress in Leeuwarden, Labour members voted on a motion to ban test drillings. Speaking in Arnhem, party leader Diederik Samson confirmed the the party's official position today.

Samson said if drilling technologies improve, there is the possiblity that Labour members would reconsider their stance.

The Labour Party is in a governing coalition with The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).  The VVD has long been in favour of drilling for shale gas.

A number of local councils, water boards and even brewing groups like Heineken have come out against the production of shale gas because of the risk of pollution. Water company Vitens has stated that it fears irreparably contaminated underground drinking water supplies.

Cuadrilla, which is partnering with Energie Beheer Netherlands (EBN), a natural gas exploration, production, transportation and sale company owned by the Dutch Government, has announced to apply for exploratory drilling in the Northeast and in Boxtel licenses in Brabant, a province in the Southern Netherlands.

Economics Minister Henk Kamp recently downplayed the role of shale gas stating that shale gas production it would only account for a couple of percent of current natural gas production, should the Netherlands give a green light to development.  Kamp said drilling would only proceed completion of study of the effects is ready.

Upwards of 45% of the Netherlands' energy comes from gas, however its main gas field at Groningen is slowly depleting and the nation faces the prospects of being a gas importer in another decade's time.

The independent research organization TNO estimates the recoverable amount of shale gas in the Netherlands ranges from 2,400 to 11,000 billion cubic meters.

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