No further reduction in Groningen gas drilling: Council of State

Gas extraction in Groningen will not be further reduced for the time being, the Council of State ruled in an emergency case filed by concerned local residents, GIC reports.

At this stage NAM is allowed to extract 24 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the Groningen gas flied per year.

Local residents feel that earthquakes caused by gas extraction lead to many unsafe situations and great financial loss. They therefore believe that gas extraction in the province should be reduced to a maximum of 12 billion cubic meters a year, and that this should be done as soon as possible.

The Council of State does not think it necessary to further reduce gas extraction immediately. The Council is still examining all objections and other viewpoints filed against Economic Minister Henk Kamp's decision to cap gas extraction at 24 billion cubic meters. Further research is needed to see if this decision is safe and lawful, and that can not be determined in an emergency procedure, the Council ruled.

In November 2015 the Council of State ordered Kamp to further reduce gas extraction in the province to stop the far reaching fracking earthquakes. Since then there's been no large earthquakes in Groningen.