The Groningen Gas Field: The Role of Science in a Slow-Onset Disaster

Tom Postmes*, Nienke Busscher, Sanne Hupkes, Agustín De Julio Pardo, Ena Vojvodic

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

This chapter presents a case study of the Groningen gas field. We study the role of science and knowledge in the assessment, monitoring and management of escalating earthquake risks. The case is relevant to climate change in several ways. Around 2006, gas extraction from Groningen was increased with the narrative that gas was the “ideal energy transition fuel”. Gas is more climate-friendly than burning coal or oil, and gas-fueled power plants combine well with renewables (Heath et al. in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 111(31):E3167–E3176, 2014). Much less attention was devoted to known risks: subsidence, pollution and earthquakes. The latter caused a slow-onset disaster in Groningen. Lessons from this case are relevant to renewable energy initiatives such as hydrogen storage and geothermal energy, as well as to the future exploitations of gas fields, made more likely by the Ukraine war. At the end of the chapter, we reflect on governance of big industrial risks amid climate change.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationClimate Change and Safety in High-Risk Industries
EditorsCorinne Bieder, Gudela Grote, Johannes Weyer
PublisherSpringer
Chapter7
Pages63-75
Number of pages13
Edition1
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-031-56995-1
ISBN (Print)978-3-031-56994-4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Publication series

NameSpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology
PublisherSpringer
ISSN (Print)2191-530X
ISSN (Electronic)2191-5318

Keywords

  • energy
  • induced earthquakes
  • slow-onset disaster
  • risk science

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