Council of State rules that gas extraction company NAM can resume operations in Warffum

Gas extraction company NAM is allowed to temporarily continue with gas extraction in Warffum and Molenpolder by Grijpskerk-Zuid, the Council of State ruled on Thursday after an emergency procedure was initiated. Earlier this year, the Cabinet had permitted the company to resume gas extraction at both locations. Last month, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.1 in Warffum.

This decision was appealed by the provincial executive of Groningen and the Groninger Bodem Beweging. The appeal was lodged with the Administrative Jurisdiction Division at the Council of State. The preliminary relief judge saw no reason to suspend the Cabinet’s decision.

According to the judge, the interests of the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) and the Minister of Climate and Green Growth, Sophie Hermans, weigh heavier than the interests of the requestees. The judge stated that the feelings of unrest and insecurity will not disappear as a result of a suspension.

Possible damage to buildings due to ground vibrations will be minimal, the preliminary relief judge stated. The Cabinet stated at the time that gas extraction from both fields if necessary for the security of supply of natural gas in the Netherlands. NAM will now be able to restart its gas extraction operations.

“We think it is a shame that the preliminary relief judge did not take the insecurity of nearby residents more into account. We are now focusing on handling our appeal against the approval decision," the province of Groningen said in a response.

The municipality of Het Hogeland, which Warffum is a part of, also responded to the news. “Our arguments were not taken into account,” alderman Han Hefting said. “Residents have been suffering from misery caused by earthquakes for years. Gas extraction can now be restarted, while there is a possibility that NAM will eventually have to stop. That is a yo-yo effect that cannot be justified.”