Gas extraction in Groningen could not be reduced, former minister Henk Kamp (Economic Affairs, VVD) insisted for years. Otherwise, security of supply would be at stake. After all, there were contracts that the Netherlands had to abide by. But that argument was not that watertight, according to the interrogation of former top official at Economic Affairs Jos de Groot (2006-2014) Thursday by the parliamentary committee of inquiry in The Hague.
On 5 November 2012, De Groot received an email from Gertjan Lankhorst, CEO of gas trader GasTerra, that gas production could be significantly reduced despite current contracts. During a normal winter, a minimum of 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas was needed from Groningen, Lankhorst emailed, compared to the 47 billion cubic meters that was extracted at that time. By adding nitrogen to other gas, so that it would have the same quality as Groningen gas, it was possible to extract 20 billion cubic meters less from Groningen.
Gas production just up
De Groot called this possibility of quickly reducing gas production “a finger exercise” that did not lead to a direct reduction in production. Even advice from De Groots’ only civil servant who knew about earthquakes was ignored. That colleague also pleaded in an email for a reduction in production of the Groningen gas field as a precautionary measure against the severe tremors in the area.
The fact that the reduction of gas extraction was being looked at was due to an investigation by the State Supervision of Mines (SodM) in the autumn of 2012. Just before that, the earthquake in Huizinge took place, with a magnitude of 3.6, the strongest to date. . SodM advised to reduce the production of the Groningen gas field for the safety of Groningers. But that advice – or “that opinion” as De Groot repeatedly called the SodM investigation on Thursday – was not immediately acted upon by the ministry.
In fact, gas extraction rose to 54 billion cubic meters a year later, the highest level since the mid-1970s. De Groot: “That was because of the natural gas revenues, calmness on the gas market and security of supply.”
This article is also part of our live blog: Ex-top official speaks of ‘fighting’ in ‘marriage of convenience’ between oil companies and the State