- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz anticipates that natural gas extraction near Borkum Island in the North Sea will commence soon, despite opposition from environmental groups.
- The project has received the necessary approvals from both Germany and the Netherlands, and Scholz considers it unlikely that the project will not proceed.
- Dutch company One-Dyas was granted an 18-year license last week by regulatory authorities in Lower Saxony to drill under the seabed.
- The estimated recoverable natural gas volume ranges from 4.5 to 13 billion cubic meters, a significant amount compared to Germany’s annual gas consumption of 81 billion cubic meters last year.
Berlin, August 21 (FFN) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expects that natural gas extraction near Borkum Island in the North Sea will begin shortly, despite strong criticism from environmental organizations and residents of the affected islands. On Tuesday, Scholz stated that the necessary permits have been secured on both the German and Dutch sides, making it very unlikely that the project would not move forward.
Last week, regulatory authorities in Lower Saxony granted an 18-year license to the Dutch company One-Dyas for drilling under the seabed, with the company planning to start extraction later this year. Proponents of the project argue that domestically sourced gas is less harmful to the climate than imported gas.
Estimates suggest that the volume of recoverable natural gas could range from 4.5 to 13 billion cubic meters, which is substantial compared to Germany’s gas consumption last year, which totaled 81 billion cubic meters.
However, the project is facing legal challenges and criticism from environmental organizations concerned about its impact on the environment. German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has also voiced her concerns about the project.
