Natural gas exploration - Dispute over natural gas plans: Country rejects criticism
In the permit process for the planned natural gas extraction in the North Sea off Borkum, Niedersachsen's state government has rejected criticism from Dutch energy company One-Dyas. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) had previously made public a letter from the company to the state government, in which One-Dyas CEO Chris de Ruyter van Steveninck complained that necessary permits from Niedersachsen authorities for the project were being delayed. "There is no reason not to grant this permission now," he wrote. A spokesperson for the Economy Ministry in Hanover confirmed after the publication that the letter had "no influence" on the pending permits.
The letter was taken into consideration, the ministry spokesperson added. "The involved authorities are examining these permits – also in light of the special sensitivity of the affected natural environment – most carefully."
One-Dyas calls for decisions on natural gas extraction
In a three-party letter from One-Dyas CEO Chris de Ruyter van Steveninck to Minister President Stephan Weil, Economics Minister Olaf Lies (both SPD), and Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) on July 5, the One-Dyas CEO demands quick decisions and threatens to file lawsuits if they are not forthcoming. "One-Dyas would welcome it if the requested decisions were made quickly to avoid clarification through court proceedings." The company also stated that it had already invested 300 million euros in the project.
One-Dyas plans to extract natural gas from a field off the islands Borkum and Schiermonnikoog by 2024. To do this, a production platform is to be built on Dutch territorial waters about 23 kilometers northwest of the island of Borkum. Gas extraction is to take place both in Dutch and German territorial waters, near the Niedersachsen Wattenmeer National Park. Permits from the Netherlands and Germany are required for gas extraction. The highest court in the Netherlands recently gave preliminary approval for this. On the German side, the permit process is still ongoing at the Lower Saxony Ministry for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG).
Dispute over power cable for drilling platform
There has been a dispute for several weeks about a power cable that has been approved by the Niedersachsen Water and Coastal Management, Waterworks, and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN) to supply the future drilling platform with wind energy from the neighboring offshore wind farm Riffgat. According to One-Dyas, supplying the platform with green wind energy would almost eliminate harmful emissions during gas extraction.
The Environmental Aid and other environmental protection organizations have lodged objections, arguing that the cable would damage protected underwater biotopes and reef structures. This objection has a suspensive effect – that is, the cable may not be laid for the time being. The Environment Ministry confirmed that One-Dyas was informed in September 2023 that an additional nature conservation permit was required – due to the reefs mentioned by the environmental organizations. One-Dyas submitted such an application only at the end of June. This application is now being reviewed, the ministry stated.
Environmental Aid demands careful examination
Environmental Aid criticized that One-Dyas exerted pressure on the state government with threatened damage claims in the letter, which the state government should not yield to. "We urge the state government to remain steadfast against fossil business interests and carefully examine the impending destruction of threatened reefs in the North Sea before granting permission," DUH-Federal Managing Director Sascha Müller-Kränner stated. This also applies to the planned underwater cable. "Minister-President Weil must now stand up for the affected North Sea islands and clearly oppose the fossil corporation," Müller-Kränner added.
One-Dyas announced to dpa on inquiry a statement in the course of Monday.
- The planned natural gas extraction in the North Sea off Borkum is currently undergoing approval procedures at the Lower Saxony Ministry for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG).
- Stephan Weil, the Minister-President of Lower Saxony, and Environment Minister Christian Meyer are among the recipients of a letter from One-Dyas CEO Chris de Ruyter van Steveninck, demanding quick decisions for the natural gas extraction project.
- One-Dyas, a Dutch energy company, intends to extract natural gas from a field off the islands of Borkum and Schiermonnikoog by 2024, requiring permits from both the Netherlands and Germany.
- Christian Meyer, the Green Party's Environmental Minister in Lower Saxony, is also involved in the approval processes for the gas extraction project, which is causing controversy over a power cable to supply the drilling platform with wind energy.
- There is a dispute regarding a power cable approved by the NLWKN for supplying the future drilling platform with green wind energy from the neighboring offshore wind farm Riffgat.
- Environmental Aid and other environmental protection organizations have lodged objections, arguing that the cable would damage protected underwater biotopes and reef structures, causing a suspensive effect, preventing the cable from being laid temporarily.
- Stephan Weil, as the Minister-President of Lower Saxony, is urged by Environmental Aid to remain steadfast against fossil business interests and carefully examine potential environmental damage before granting approval for the natural gas extraction project and the underwater cable.
- One-Dyas, a key player in this controversy, announced a statement in response to the ongoing dispute and criticism from environmental organizations and the state government.
