This winter marks the first time since December 9, 1963, that no gas flows from the largest Dutch gas field, the Groningen field. Despite this, the Netherlands still requires about 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually for households and industry.
The country plans to use natural gas for heating until 2050, primarily sourced from abroad, including Norway and the United States. Recently, the Dutch government decided to continue gas production from a smaller field in Groningen for eight more years, although it aims to prevent extraction under the Wadden Sea.
Gas storage facilities in Grijpskerk, Norg, and Bergermeer are now filled with foreign gas. Extraction from the Groningen field is prohibited by law due to safety concerns for residents, as the area is prone to earthquakes stemming from decades of gas extraction.
It is expected that earthquakes will persist for at least thirty more years. Gas production in the Netherlands continues from small fields, with approximately 28% of the country’s gas in 2023 coming from these sources.
Controversy surrounds plans for gas extraction under the Wadden Sea, opposed by UNESCO, the Waddenvereniging, and local authorities. Residents in and around Warffum also protest gas extraction, with 96% of homes still heated by natural gas, a situation expected to last for over two decades as alternative heating solutions are implemented.
Source: NOS