Conversion tot high-calorific gas

The Groningen gas field differs from this and contains natural gas with a low calorific value. Groningen gas contains a relatively large amount of non-combustible nitrogen (14%). When the gas was discovered in the late 1950s and rolled out in the early 1960s, it became the standard for gas ovens and central heating boilers in the Netherlands and in some of our neighbouring countries. This gas is also used in horticulture and industry.

The Government of the Netherlands has decided that natural gas production in Groningen must be cut to zero cubic metres by 2030 at the latest. For that reason, in 2018, the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy introduced a measure for companies using more than one hundred million cubic metres of low-calorific gas. 
This made it obligatory for nine companies to switch to high-calorific gas or a sustainable alternative before 1 October 2022. This measure has been laid down in the Dutch Gas Act which came into force in June 2020. Companies that cannot comply with the statutory conversion date of 1 October 2022 have been granted an exemption by the ministry until a later date.

Some of the nine companies only require conversion of their existing pipelines to enable them to connect to high-calorific gas. But other companies will need new pipelines because, for example, existing pipelines also supply other connected parties with gas. New gas transport pipelines will be laid for connecting GETEC Park.Emmen, Eneco’s Lage Weide power plant near Utrecht, Uniper’s Roca power plant and Vattenfall's Diemen power plant. To this end, agreements will be made with the owners and users of the intended pipeline section on how work will be carried out and compensation for damages. Following consultations with the relevant authorities, zoning plans will be adapted and permits granted for such activities as crossing roads and waterways. Traffic measures will be coordinated and those affected will be informed following discussions with municipal authorities.