Reichling (dpa -Afx) – A few days before the beginning of the controversial natural gas bore in the municipality of Reichling (Landsberg am Lech) near the Ammersee, environmentalists have entered the fenced area. On a five-meter-high bamboo construction on the drilling space, the 13 Greenpeace activists had a large banner with the demand “No new gas!”, A member of the group was hung at a rope at several meters.
The drilling tower is already registered with the authority
After the drilling space had been cleared and planned in recent months, the company had shown the start of the development work of the drilling system for July 29, 2025 this week at the government of Upper Bavaria. On Monday afternoon, crowls had already been delivered to the setting of the drilling tower and in the past few weeks special tanks for storing dangerous liquids. Because of an upset thunderstorm, the environmentalists ended their protest after a good three hours, as a Greenpeace spokesman said. The police were therefore present, but had not taken any compulsive measures.
The exact date for the start of the drilling is still open
When the hole will start exactly was still open. According to the government of Upper Bavaria, the company must first inform the authority about the completion of the construction work and the start of the drilling work. The corresponding notifications have not yet been met, said a spokesman. “Before the start of a drilling, the government of Upper Bavaria must also confirm the technical freedom of defect of the system through current expert test reports.”
The drilling work was originally supposed to start in the first quarter of 2025, but had always delayed. With reference to Reichling Mayor Johannes Hintersberger (CSU), the “Augsburger Allgemeine” reported that the hole will “start” next week.
Greenpeace: Violation of climate policy responsibility
The environmental protection organization Greenpeace has been protesting together with residents and other environmental associations since the plans against gas production in Reichling became known. “Now to open up new fossil natural gas deposits like here in Reichling, makes us dependent on natural gas for further decades. This is irresponsible,” says Saskia Reinbeck, climate protection expert at Greenpeace Bayern. She asked Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) to stop them and all other gas bores in Bavaria.
The critics of gas funding also refer to a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice in the Hague, which obliges all states to do their best to achieve the 1.5 degree goal. The hole in Reichling clearly contradicts this. Greenpeace also fears that the first hole could follow more in the region.
Funding duration of 10 to 15 years planned
Behind the funding plans is the “Energy Project Lech Kinsau 1 GmbH”, which is 80 percent owned by MRH Mineralöl-Rohstoff-Handel GmbH based in Düsseldorf and 20 percent is held by Genexco GmbH. If the test boring is successful, the company plans to promote natural gas over ten to 15 years. A gas volume of 400 to 500 million cubic meters is suspected, which could cover domestic gas requirements from 10,000 to 15,000 households during the funding period. Whether the gas can really be encouraged will only turn out when the trial bore.
Project is very controversial in the region – concern for drinking water
The project is very controversial in the community and in environmental and conservationists. There had always been protests. In particular, people take care of their drinking water before environmental damage, be it through the funding as well as through accidents or disorders around the drilling space above the earth. Because in the immediate vicinity of the borehole is the drinking water source of the place. The region also has a negative impact on real estate prices and the economic factor of tourism. For its part, the company had always emphasized that there was no danger to the environment./had/dp/nas