News item | 06-01-2022 | 19:05
The cabinet must adjust the expected gas production from the Groningen field for the current gas year upwards. At the start of the gas year, NAM was expected to gain 3.9 billion cubic meters. According to calculations by grid operator GTS, production in this gas year can ultimately amount to a maximum of 7.6 billion cubic meters at average temperatures. Before 1 April, the cabinet will determine how much gas must definitively come from the Groningen field this gas year.
Nitrogen factory Zuidbroek
The higher expectation has two causes. Firstly, the delay in the commissioning of the nitrogen plant in Zuidbroek, already reported in November 2021. Because it is ready later than planned, less high-calorific gas can be converted. As a result, there is insufficient low-calorific gas – gas that Dutch households use – to guarantee security of supply from April and to fill the gas storage facilities in Norg and Grijpskerk. The use of the gas storage facilities is essential to be able to close the Groningen field.
Germany
The second reason is related to the gas demand from Germany. Germany recently indicated that it needs 1.1 billion cubic meters more from Groningen to meet their energy needs. This is because energy-saving measures in Germany prove less effective than expected. In addition, the production of low-calorific gas in Germany will be lower this gas year, and the storage facilities are less filled than is normally the case.
Earlier this week, Minister Blok expressed his great concern about this development to his German colleague and asked for clarification. He also urged Germany to take all possible measures so that the additional demand is not necessary. Germany has, incidentally, always cooperated very well with the reduction in gas demand, so that the Groningen field can close earlier.
Groningen field closure on schedule
Because of these setbacks, TNO has been asked to supplement the seismic threat and risk analysis from March 2021. State Supervision of Mines will advise on the safety risks based on this. Only then will the cabinet take a final decision. In 2018, it was also planned that more than 13 billion cubic meters would be extracted in 2021/2022.
This gas year, which runs from October 2021 to September 2022, is the last ‘normal’ gas year. The phasing out of gas extraction from the Groningen field is still on schedule. From mid-2022, it is expected that no more gas will be needed from the Groningen field, in a year with average weather conditions. A number of locations will then remain on standby; a limited amount of gas will be extracted there. In this way, a small number of stations are ready for use when suddenly needed, for example in extreme cold, in combination with the failure of large installations.