The government wants permits to be issued more quickly for gas extraction in the North Sea. It now takes an average of five to six years after an application before drilling can actually take place, which time should be shortened to three years. State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief (Mining) reports this.
This acceleration must be achieved without easing the permit conditions. According to the cabinet, the safety of people, nature and the environment remains paramount. Vijlbrief believes it can save time by designing procedures more efficiently and by hiring additional specialists if necessary.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate expects that in the short term, possibly within a year, approximately 1 billion cubic meters of extra gas per year can be produced. That could rise to 2 to 4 billion cubic meters within five years.
War
According to Vijlbrief, the war in Ukraine has made it clear that the Netherlands is too dependent on gas imports, especially from Russia. After all, gas extraction in Groningen has been greatly reduced in recent years in connection with the earthquake risks for local residents and will eventually have to stop altogether.
The extra production that these measures make possible is valid for a period of ten years. The expectation is that the gas fields in the North Sea will be empty by then. In the meantime, work can continue on the transition to renewable energy.