News item | 06-12-2024 | 16:10
The cabinet today made a decision about gas extraction at Warffum and Ternaard. The permit for gas extraction at Warffum is being extended. At Ternaard, discussions are again being entered into with the Dutch Petroleum Company (NAM) with the intention of preventing gas extraction. Gas extraction is a sensitive issue. Minister Hermans (Climate and Green Growth) will therefore personally explain these decisions today in Warffum and Ternaard and will discuss these with the residents who are directly affected by them.
Decisions on Warffum and Ternaard
In Warffum the cabinet has decided to extend existing gas extraction until 2032. This decision was taken on the basis of advice from TNO, SodM and the Mining Council, which shows that gas extraction can continue safely and responsibly. This concerns an extension of the existing extraction, no new drilling is required. The existing monitoring network works well and will be maintained. We still need gas to heat homes and keep our businesses running, and to be less dependent on other countries. In the run-up to this decision, Minister Hermans held discussions with residents and administrators in the region. This did not lead to a refusal of the permit request, but it did contribute to the realization that social support for gas extraction on land is not a given.
Minister Hermans: “This decision has a major impact on the area and its residents. That is why I went to Warffum today to personally explain why it is necessary to extend this gas extraction. I did not take this decision lightly, external advisors including the State Supervision of Mines have convinced me that it can be done safely and responsibly. The discussions I had previously with the residents have partly led to the need for agreements to be made about the phasing out of gas extraction on land and that we will also have those discussions.”
Ternaardthe file surrounding gas extraction under the Wadden Sea, is different and more complex. At present, no gas extraction is taking place in Ternaard, unlike Warffum. On the one hand, there is a legal obligation to make a decision before January 1, 2025 on a request from NAM to be allowed to extract gas. On the other hand, possible gas extraction under the Wadden Sea faces major objections from politicians and society, especially because of the impact on the World Heritage area. The SodM also has objections to gas extraction related to safe and responsible gas extraction. The government will therefore consult with NAM over the next six months to look for a solution. The intention is to prevent gas extraction at Ternaard.
The government has chosen to use the available space in consultation, within the legal frameworks and with the willingness of NAM and shareholders. This provides the opportunity to carefully arrive at an outcome that does justice to the concerns of society and politicians. The government considers this necessary to arrive at a just and supported solution.
Minister Hermans emphasizes: “There are no easy choices here. We must take seriously the concerns of people in the regions where gas extraction takes place. At the same time, we have the responsibility to ensure a stable and safe energy supply for the Netherlands and to become less dependent on other countries.”
Gas extraction on land: controlled phase-out and clear agreements
The government wants to phase out gas extraction from small onshore fields step by step. The ultimate goal is for the Netherlands to be completely climate neutral by 2050. Until then, natural gas will remain necessary for households, companies and the electricity supply, because there are not yet enough sustainable alternatives available. In order to ensure that this phase-out takes place responsibly, the government wants to make clear agreements with the energy sector. These concern the pace, rules about where and under what circumstances gas extraction is still possible and a fair distribution of revenues. This sector agreement must be ready in 2025. At the same time, work is being done on a broader plan for sustainable use of the subsurface, such as energy storage and salt extraction.