GTS is the owner and operator of the gas transport network in the Netherlands and advises on the security of gas supply. The research, which GTS conducted on its own initiative, shows that even if Germany declares a gas crisis and knocks on the door of the Netherlands for extra gas, this will not lead to shortages in the Netherlands.
According to GTS director Bart Jan Hoevers, it is not expected that the industry will be forced to shut down next winter or that more gas will have to be extracted in Groningen. The reason for the optimism is the measures taken in recent months to increase the supply of gas.
No more question
However, according to Hoevers, there are a number of preconditions to avoid shortages. For example, demand must not increase further, the capacity of coal-fired power stations in the Netherlands must not be limited and gas storage must be filled to at least 80%. Gasunie says that other emergency measures such as extra production from the Groningen field will not be necessary in the coming months.
The Dutch capacity for liquefied natural gas (LNG) must also be doubled through the development of new terminals by Gasunie. In addition, the LNG terminals in the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom must continue to be fully utilized. A cold winter or setbacks in the supply of LNG can mean that “practice deviates strongly from the figures used for the calculations,” says the network manager.
Gasunie also expects that if the current maintenance of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline takes longer, the gas storage facilities can be filled enough to reach 80 percent. Additional measures are required to fill the gas storage to 90%.
To spare
The network manager also warns that it “continues to be necessary to save on natural gas together”, says director Bart Jan Hoevers. “It is also important that the measures for sufficient gas in gas storage facilities and a maximum LNG supply are realized.”
This year, Gasunie will double the LNG import capacity in the Netherlands from approximately 12 billion cubic meters to 24 billion cubic meters of gas. Gasunie also calculated that the Netherlands will be able to transport a maximum of 35 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Germany in the coming gas year, from October. The German gas network cannot transport any more. This is almost the same as the total Dutch annual consumption.