Residents of the Groningen gas field suffer from earthquakes as a consequence of the year-long gas production. Germany however has ordered a higher amount of gas from the field that was bound to be shut down in 2026. The dutch side blame Germany to shift their problems to the Netherlands, hinting at the stagnating certification process of contentious Nord Stream 2 pipeline (WELT):
When René Paas, the Dutch King's commissioner for the province of Groningen, travels to the seat of government in The Hague, every conversation begins with the question: What's the situation with the gas field? That's how he tells WELT on the phone. "Groningen has been associated with the gas production there and the associated problems for years."
Because of gas production, since the 1990s there have been an increasing number of smaller earthquakes that cause damage to residential buildings. In response to the loud protests of the Groningen population, the Dutch cabinet finally decided to initially reduce the subsidy significantly and then stop it in mid-2022. Gas production in Groningen will only continue until 2026 as an emergency solution for cold winters.
A project that Germany is now thwarting. As the “Spiegel” reported, German suppliers have probably ordered 1.1 billion cubic meters more gas for the 2021/22 financial year than planned. In addition, the commissioning of a nitrogen factory, which is to process imported gas for Dutch households in the future, has been delayed.
