Dutch large consumers must continue to use Groningen gas for longer than anticipated. That’s in a transfer document from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) to the new State Secretary for Mining Hans Vijlbrief (D66). According to EZK officials, he must prepare for signing “one or more exemptions from the ban on low-calorific gas for large consumers.”
Large consumers must get rid of gas from Groningen no later than October 1 of this year, but according to the FD to fetch most likely four and possibly six of the nine large consumers the legally established end date. According to the Gasunie Transport Services (GTS), the companies have experienced delays due to slow permit processes and delayed legislation.
This concerns in any case the energy companies Eneco and Uniper and it is expected also the energy company Vattenfall and the chemical company Nobian. The Zeeland Refinery oil refinery and the Getec Park.Emmen chemical site may also need gas for longer, but they were not available on Wednesday. Because the companies will have to get rid of the gas later on, there is a chance that extra gas from Groningen will be needed.
Also read: Suppose the winter is severe, will the Groningen gas field close in 2022?
The Ministry of Economic Affairs assumes that the gas demand will not affect the closing date of the Groningerveld. In principle, the gas tap will switch to the ‘pilot flame position’ for emergencies from next autumn and will be closed completely in 2028. Vijlbrief must decide before 1 April whether the final closure can be done faster.
Nitrogen installation Zuidbroek
Last week, the outgoing minister Stef Blok (VVD) who has since departed, announced that there are plans for this gas year probably about twice as much gas is needed from Groningen soil than expected, due to the delay in the construction of a nitrogen installation in Zuidbroek and higher demand from Germany. The gas year runs from October 2021 to September 2022. After that, the gas tap will only be opened in emergency situations, such as an extremely cold winter. The delayed conversion of large-scale consumers increases the chance that low-calorific gas from Groningen will still be needed next winter.
Once operational, the nitrogen plant at Zuidbroek must convert gas from abroad into gas that is suitable for Dutch households, so that Groningen gas no longer needs to be used. The delay in its opening is ‘very sensitive’, says EZK’s transfer document.
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