Fully agree. This is a bad decision that makes the Netherlands more dependent on imported gas and reducing its energy security. Just yesterday, Gasunie, the Dutch state-owned company responsible for managing and transporting gas infrastructure, confirmed that the target for filling gas storage for this winter will not be reached. To me it seems like just another instance of emotionally driven populism and short-term electoral politics from almost all parties in Parliament. Some more strategic, long-term thinking would be nice at a time of increasing energy and 'geopolitical' uncertainty. There are quite a few things going on in the world 'outside', but Dutch politicians often seem to think we're a remote island or something.
1. The Groningen gas field is not being filled with cement.
2. The individual gas wells are being permanently sealed, partly using cement.
3. There is still natural gas in the Groningen gas field.
4. Because of changes in underground pressure and stresses, earthquakes can still occur even after gas extraction has stopped.
A simple comparison: imagine a large sponge containing gas from which gas has been extracted for many years. You turn off the tap and seal the pipe with cement, but you do not fill the sponge itself with cement.
this article appears to oversimplify the issue. you suggest that a financial compensation can fix the issue. in practice, further gas production makes groningen more or less unliveable. you promote irresponsibility under the cover so called rationality. just like all the advocates for nuclear energy do. that is the commonality I see here.
What are the problems with nuclear energy? We already have commercially used technologies to deal with waste, reprocessing and breeder reactors, Russians have been doing both for decades.
No one has brought a breeder reactor to full commercial operation, comparable with thermal neutron reactors. With much effort and considerable expense, availability of around 65% was achieved in a single reactor. You can’t power a country on such risible performance.
In addition fuel manufacturing will not have advanced beyond the pilot plant / experimental stage for a single reactor.
For $150k worth of gas per resident, you could build a whole ahh new town with new modern infrastructure, move them all there, and still keep the extraction profitable. Not even talking about how this is a geopolitical security issue.
deportations of luddites would be an idea worth investigating for sure. i heard the andaman islands are beautiful this time of year, and there are no powerplants to endanger you lot!
The Andamans are always beautiful, at all times of the year. I think you're associating them with the British colonials usage of one island as a prison.
Or maybe you would like the inhabitants provide the John Chau package tour to Herr Strasser?
I'm sure you don't and I'm not insinuating anything.
But seriously, they're a nice place to visit. Just don't mess with the Sentinelese.
Be sure to visit "Kaala Pani" where the British kept the freedom fighters who scared them the most.
One of the world's first panopticons was built in that jail.
Unfortunately our more British than the British prime minister tried to whitewash that history by demolishing most of the cell blocks. Luckily he was stopped before he erased the entire structure.
There are countries that have low energy availability. Why don’t you move there if it’s so responsible instead of wrecking the few that have relative plenty.
I get your point all right, after all we’re constantly inundated with its exponents. It’s just so bovine that you lot should be put in a corner with a snack of crayons instead of getting to hold Europe hostage with your delusions.
It’s practically the most depressing part of being European, constantly being reminded that the vote of someone who thinks of nuclear when they need an example for an irresponsibly dangerous industry counts the same as your own.
All is not lost. Cement yields quite readily to the drill bit. These cement plugs can be removed, the wells can all be “re drilled”, won’t be the first time it’s been done.
I don't know if this is a story about permanent closure rather than just stupid green policies ("we will stop producing gas, but not using it"). I don't think it is impossible to restart drilling under Groningen or to turn on German nuclear plants.
Often the refusal to reverse decisions you dislike is also a feature of European political systems, especially countries with coalition governments, where governments agree to "respect" the decisions of previous governments even if they opposed them vigorously at the time to get some continuity. Unfortunately this also leads to flywheels of bureaucracy where left-wing governments introduce new bureaucracy and benefits and instead of dismantling them, right-wing governments try to introduce "market mechanisms" and incentives to these (such as putting publicly-owned utilities in corporate legal structures)
One thing that the effective energy industries in Europe do badly these days is rewarding the people who suffer the downsides inherent in any industry. The French did this better before they decided to become a terminally declining old folks’ home. “Buying Support” subhead.
Fully agree. This is a bad decision that makes the Netherlands more dependent on imported gas and reducing its energy security. Just yesterday, Gasunie, the Dutch state-owned company responsible for managing and transporting gas infrastructure, confirmed that the target for filling gas storage for this winter will not be reached. To me it seems like just another instance of emotionally driven populism and short-term electoral politics from almost all parties in Parliament. Some more strategic, long-term thinking would be nice at a time of increasing energy and 'geopolitical' uncertainty. There are quite a few things going on in the world 'outside', but Dutch politicians often seem to think we're a remote island or something.
Goed gezegd.
Immensely hilarious in context of news today that the gas reserves won't be filled in time for winter, and people won't be able to afford heating.
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2026/08/netherlands-to-miss-gas-target-what-it-means-for-households/
The key points are:
1. The Groningen gas field is not being filled with cement.
2. The individual gas wells are being permanently sealed, partly using cement.
3. There is still natural gas in the Groningen gas field.
4. Because of changes in underground pressure and stresses, earthquakes can still occur even after gas extraction has stopped.
A simple comparison: imagine a large sponge containing gas from which gas has been extracted for many years. You turn off the tap and seal the pipe with cement, but you do not fill the sponge itself with cement.
this article appears to oversimplify the issue. you suggest that a financial compensation can fix the issue. in practice, further gas production makes groningen more or less unliveable. you promote irresponsibility under the cover so called rationality. just like all the advocates for nuclear energy do. that is the commonality I see here.
What are the problems with nuclear energy? We already have commercially used technologies to deal with waste, reprocessing and breeder reactors, Russians have been doing both for decades.
No one has brought a breeder reactor to full commercial operation, comparable with thermal neutron reactors. With much effort and considerable expense, availability of around 65% was achieved in a single reactor. You can’t power a country on such risible performance.
In addition fuel manufacturing will not have advanced beyond the pilot plant / experimental stage for a single reactor.
For $150k worth of gas per resident, you could build a whole ahh new town with new modern infrastructure, move them all there, and still keep the extraction profitable. Not even talking about how this is a geopolitical security issue.
This (https://www.dutchbrief.com/p/only-45-full-dutch-gas-stores-wont) is news from literally today.
deportation as a solution?
Every hydroelectric plant has resulted in "deportations."
deportations of luddites would be an idea worth investigating for sure. i heard the andaman islands are beautiful this time of year, and there are no powerplants to endanger you lot!
The Andamans are always beautiful, at all times of the year. I think you're associating them with the British colonials usage of one island as a prison.
Or maybe you would like the inhabitants provide the John Chau package tour to Herr Strasser?
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/inside-story-john-allen-chaus-ill-fated-trip-remote-island-180970971/
i don’t know what you’re insinuating 😏
I'm sure you don't and I'm not insinuating anything.
But seriously, they're a nice place to visit. Just don't mess with the Sentinelese.
Be sure to visit "Kaala Pani" where the British kept the freedom fighters who scared them the most.
One of the world's first panopticons was built in that jail.
Unfortunately our more British than the British prime minister tried to whitewash that history by demolishing most of the cell blocks. Luckily he was stopped before he erased the entire structure.
There are countries that have low energy availability. Why don’t you move there if it’s so responsible instead of wrecking the few that have relative plenty.
apparently you did not get my point
I get your point all right, after all we’re constantly inundated with its exponents. It’s just so bovine that you lot should be put in a corner with a snack of crayons instead of getting to hold Europe hostage with your delusions.
It’s practically the most depressing part of being European, constantly being reminded that the vote of someone who thinks of nuclear when they need an example for an irresponsibly dangerous industry counts the same as your own.
All is not lost. Cement yields quite readily to the drill bit. These cement plugs can be removed, the wells can all be “re drilled”, won’t be the first time it’s been done.
What ever happened to “strategic autonomy” and “resilience”…
Interesting that it's spearheaded by D66, the explicitly 'YIMBY' party.
I don't know if this is a story about permanent closure rather than just stupid green policies ("we will stop producing gas, but not using it"). I don't think it is impossible to restart drilling under Groningen or to turn on German nuclear plants.
Often the refusal to reverse decisions you dislike is also a feature of European political systems, especially countries with coalition governments, where governments agree to "respect" the decisions of previous governments even if they opposed them vigorously at the time to get some continuity. Unfortunately this also leads to flywheels of bureaucracy where left-wing governments introduce new bureaucracy and benefits and instead of dismantling them, right-wing governments try to introduce "market mechanisms" and incentives to these (such as putting publicly-owned utilities in corporate legal structures)
The sheer stupidity is mind boggling.
I wonder if these green lunatics know that concrete is not exactly carbon neutral?
With apologies to Napoleon, never interrupt your enemies when they're making mistakes but point and laugh.
German NPPs can still be refurbished, check out the report here: https://www.radiantenergygroup.com/
I believe that you are working on this, aren’t you?
One thing that the effective energy industries in Europe do badly these days is rewarding the people who suffer the downsides inherent in any industry. The French did this better before they decided to become a terminally declining old folks’ home. “Buying Support” subhead.
https://worksinprogress.co/issue/liberte-egalite-radioactivite/