News item | 26-09-2022 | 15:45
From 1 October 2022, the Groningen field will be on the pilot light. This means that a minimum amount of gas is extracted; 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas for the coming gas year from October. That is what State Secretary Vijlbrief (Mining) has decided.
If the geopolitical situation permits, the government wants to stop gas extraction from the Groningen field in the autumn of 2023, at the latest by 2024.
‘Impact is huge’
State Secretary Vijlbrief: “With every earthquake in Groningen, such as at Uithuizen on Saturday, the people of Groningen are startled again. The damage to houses, but also the impact on Groningen residents is enormous. That is why we want to stop gas extraction from the Groningen field as soon as possible.”
Close production locations
All current eleven production locations will remain open in the first half of the gas year. State Secretary Vijlbrief will decide before 1 April 2023 whether six of the eleven production locations can be closed from April 2023. Whether that is possible depends on the geopolitical situation at that time.
pilot light
The pilot light is the minimum amount of gas that is extracted to keep the existing sites and infrastructure running. If it were to decrease, the well from which the gas flows cannot remain open. In this way, the Groningen field is a reserve resource for exceptional situations, such as very cold conditions and technical failures.
earthquakes
Due to the impact of the earthquakes on Groningen residents and their homes, the government wants to stop gas extraction as soon as possible. The number of earthquakes has been declining since 2014 and has continued to decline in recent months. At the same time, State Supervision of Mines indicates that there are more earthquakes than expected.
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