In Warffum people are concerned but also bitter about gas extraction: ‘It will really be ready in 2032? That’s a show: then they have taken everything out’

From the kitchen table of Jan van der Holst (68) in Warffum, Groningen, you can see the gas field behind the village. The pipes go into the ground behind the fields. After the report of the parliamentary inquiry into gas extraction in Groningen in 2023, when it was determined that the Netherlands owed a ‘debt of honour’ to Groningen, Van der Holst thought that gas extraction under his village would soon come to an end. Minister Sophie Hermans of Climate and Green Growth (VVD) decided differently. The Dutch Petroleum Company is allowed to extract gas from the small gas field in Warffum until 2032.

On Friday she came to the village with that message, where Van der Holst – a member of the ‘good action group’ Warffum-Alert – and others spoke to her in a room. The minister gave three reasons for continuing gas extraction, says Van der Holst. “Gas is still needed for the energy transition. Due to the geopolitical situation, the Netherlands must be as dependent on foreign countries for gas as possible and all small fields together still supply a significant amount of gas. It will really be ready here in 2032, she promised. But that’s a show. Then they took out all the gas.”

It lives in the village, but it helps so little. What can you do? Nothing

After her visit to Warffum, Hermans continued to Ternaard in Friesland. The minister – like her predecessors – has postponed the decision whether gas can be extracted there. “Bitter,” concludes Van der Holst. “Warffum is change for Ternaard.”

Warffum is one of the seventeen still active small gas fields in the province of Groningen. It is the largest of those seventeen and is located right next to the large Groningen field, which has been closed since this year. That bothers Van der Holst. “After the parliamentary inquiry, everyone thought that gas should no longer be extracted in Groningen. That was even included in the main outline agreement of the new cabinet. No more gas from the Groningen field, it was later made from it. Scandalous.”

The province of Groningen and the municipality of Het Hogeland, which includes Warffum, are against gas extraction in the village. The State Supervision of Mines advised in 2022 that extraction from the gas field can continue safely. The minister relies on this advice.

But Van der Holst doesn’t care about that. “The advice predates the parliamentary inquiry and the supervisor himself says so. Then shouldn’t there be new advice?” He is concerned about the safety of his home. The front part is 150 years old. He has already reported damage and had it repaired five times. He no longer closes the cracks. With every earthquake he sees new ones.

‘Drawn empty’

A little further on, on Havenstraat, three men in thick coats are fishing. They have only just arrived, but they hope to catch a few carp or pike. Warfummer Eite Stokker is one of them. When asked about Sophie Hermans’ visit to Warffum and the gas extraction, he says: “I was not there, but the village is quite disappointed about it.”

He says he understands that “we cannot do without gas at the moment”, but is concerned. His house has been cracked by earthquakes before. The houses of his two daughters in other villages also need to be fortified. “That has been going on for years.” And now, says Stokker, they have gone from one drill pipe to two here in the small field below Warffum. “Everything here is being emptied at an accelerated pace.”

Stokker fears the “cavities” that may arise from this, and the earthquakes that may follow. He doesn’t protest. “The Hague doesn’t really care about that.” He shrugs. “It lives in the village, but it helps so little. What can you do? Nothing.”

Economic gain always came before the people of Groningen

This resignation is noticeable among more Warfummers. In the Bouwman bakery, the owner doesn’t really want to talk about it at first. She is not concerned with gas extraction and earthquakes. Keeping a bakery running is busy enough. But when customers come in, a conversation about gas extraction still unfolds.

“Our resignation is not an advantage,” he said. “That is being abused.” Certainly not the majority of the village is demonstrating, but Ineke Steenhuis – who is just entering – is. Steenhuis lives further down the street. “We built our house ourselves. Now we are old people. If there is another torch relay I will be there, but I would like everyone to come.” She doesn’t expect anyone to listen. “With this cabinet, I no longer have any confidence in it at all.”

Gain

Warffum-Alert banners hang in front of the station and the primary school. Posters of the action group have been pasted in windows of houses in the village. The action group had previously hung up banners with the message: ‘Warffum is also Groningen’. The group is not giving up the fight yet. Van der Holst and the other members will submit an opinion on the minister’s draft decision. If necessary, they will appeal to the administrative court.

Because now, says Van der Holst, the people of Groningen are losing out again. “Economic gain always came before the people of Groningen. After the parliamentary inquiry, that would no longer be the case. It’s happening here again.”

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