History of earthquakes in Groningen - The Northern Times
NorthenTimes
logo The Northern Times
  • News
    • All
    • Crime
    • Economics
    • Education
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Tech
    • Ukraine
    Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

    Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

    More people test positive for monkeypox in NL

    Train dream: from Groningen to Copenhagen in 5.5 hours by 2050

    Train dream: from Groningen to Copenhagen in 5.5 hours by 2050

    Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

    Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

    Weldoener Blond voted best beer of Netherlands

    UMCG and RUG researchers involved in stress study

    UMCG and RUG researchers involved in stress study

    earthquake_damage_home

    Audit Chamber slams slow pace of earthquake damage payouts

    Groningen house-buyers pay an average of 12,7% higher than original asking price

    Groningen house-buyers pay an average of 12,7% higher than original asking price

    8 years in prison and mandatory treatment for man who killed 14-year-old in Hoogkerk

    8 years in prison and mandatory treatment for man who killed 14-year-old in Hoogkerk

    Trending Tags

    • Lifestyle
      • All
      • Food & Drinks
      • Nightlife
      • Shopping
      • What's happening
      Food festivals set to return to Emmen

      Food festivals set to return to Emmen

      Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

      Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

      Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

      Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

      Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

      Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

      Armenian artefacts, Noah’s ark relic on display at Drents Museum

      Armenian artefacts, Noah’s ark relic on display at Drents Museum

      Groningen Meikermis fair about to kick off

      Groningen Meikermis fair about to kick off

      Marching trees kick off Arcadia arts festival in Leeuwarden

      Marching trees kick off Arcadia arts festival in Leeuwarden

      What’s happening in May? Events and activities from our partners

      What’s happening in May? Events and activities from our partners

      Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

      Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

      Trending Tags

      • Culture
        • All
        • Dutch history
        • Typical Dutch
        Popular Drenthe youth’s summer programme set to return in 2022

        Popular Drenthe youth’s summer programme set to return in 2022

        Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

        Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

        North NL theaters struggle to find a way to attract audience

        Rolling Stones exhibition in Groninger Museum extended

        Lottery donates €636K to Groninger Museum

        Frida Kahlo exhibition coming to Assen a year early

        Drents Museum Frida Kahlo exhibit extended

        Bittersweet Heritage

        Bittersweet Heritage: a cultural event exploring Groningen’s connections to slavery

        Fries Museum to loan series of renowned portraits from London’s National Portrait Gallery

        Frisians Mata Hari and Titia Bergsma to feature in History Canon

        A stumbling stone in Groningen

        New foundation for “stumbling stones” in Groningen

        National Holocaust Museum launching a temporary exhibit in Leeuwarden

        National Holocaust Museum launching a temporary exhibit in Leeuwarden

        Trending Tags

        • People
          • All
          • Expats
          • International students
          Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

          Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

          What’s it like working in Northern Netherlands?

          What’s it like working in Northern Netherlands?

          Student protest Groningen: ‘Where is a vaccine against psychological problems?’

          New mini-doc highlights how Groningen students struggle to find housing

          ESN/ISO: “International students neglected in higher education in the Netherlands”

          ESN/ISO: “International students neglected in higher education in the Netherlands”

          ESN launches ‘buddy programme’ for students in Groningen

          ESN launches ‘buddy programme’ for students in Groningen

          A letter from the Editor – Internationals from 120 countries: Welcome to Groningen, Leeuwarden, Assen and Emmen!

          ‘University of Groningen must do more for the mental health of students’

          From a WhatsApp group to a community: BLOG offers a ready-made social space for Black Ladies in Groningen

          From a WhatsApp group to a community: BLOG offers a ready-made social space for Black Ladies in Groningen

          First students snap up alternate study spots in Oosterpoort

          Dutch student grades rise during pandemic whilst mental health suffers

          NHL_Stenden_studying

          New students in Leeuwarden get ‘Coronaproof’ introduction week

          Trending Tags

          • Opportunities
            • All
            • business
            • Education
            Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

            Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

            Annual Beta Business Days event a success

            Annual Beta Business Days event a success

            What’s it like working in Northern Netherlands?

            Startup Visa Crew offers support to Ukrainian entrepreneurs (Переклад українською)

            Gasunie to build €60 million green gas plant in Delfzijl

            Gasunie to build €60 million green gas plant in Delfzijl

            Hundreds set to join online job-networking event

            Hundreds set to join online job-networking event

            How to enter academia in the Netherlands

            How to enter academia in the Netherlands

            3 ideas for student-friendly jobs in the North

            3 ideas for student-friendly jobs in the North

            Meet 3 startups that are Making it in the North

            Meet 3 startups that are Making it in the North

            Job opportunities in the North increase

            Job opportunities in the North increase

            Trending Tags

            • Submit A Tip/Article
            No Result
            View All Result
            The Northern Times
            • News
              • All
              • Crime
              • Economics
              • Education
              • Health
              • Politics
              • Sports
              • Tech
              • Ukraine
              Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

              Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

              More people test positive for monkeypox in NL

              Train dream: from Groningen to Copenhagen in 5.5 hours by 2050

              Train dream: from Groningen to Copenhagen in 5.5 hours by 2050

              Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

              Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

              Weldoener Blond voted best beer of Netherlands

              UMCG and RUG researchers involved in stress study

              UMCG and RUG researchers involved in stress study

              earthquake_damage_home

              Audit Chamber slams slow pace of earthquake damage payouts

              Groningen house-buyers pay an average of 12,7% higher than original asking price

              Groningen house-buyers pay an average of 12,7% higher than original asking price

              8 years in prison and mandatory treatment for man who killed 14-year-old in Hoogkerk

              8 years in prison and mandatory treatment for man who killed 14-year-old in Hoogkerk

              Trending Tags

              • Lifestyle
                • All
                • Food & Drinks
                • Nightlife
                • Shopping
                • What's happening
                Food festivals set to return to Emmen

                Food festivals set to return to Emmen

                Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

                Groningen to host Sustainable Homes Day

                Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

                Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

                Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                Armenian artefacts, Noah’s ark relic on display at Drents Museum

                Armenian artefacts, Noah’s ark relic on display at Drents Museum

                Groningen Meikermis fair about to kick off

                Groningen Meikermis fair about to kick off

                Marching trees kick off Arcadia arts festival in Leeuwarden

                Marching trees kick off Arcadia arts festival in Leeuwarden

                What’s happening in May? Events and activities from our partners

                What’s happening in May? Events and activities from our partners

                Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

                Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

                Trending Tags

                • Culture
                  • All
                  • Dutch history
                  • Typical Dutch
                  Popular Drenthe youth’s summer programme set to return in 2022

                  Popular Drenthe youth’s summer programme set to return in 2022

                  Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

                  Remembrance Day and Liberation Day: Deep dive

                  North NL theaters struggle to find a way to attract audience

                  Rolling Stones exhibition in Groninger Museum extended

                  Lottery donates €636K to Groninger Museum

                  Frida Kahlo exhibition coming to Assen a year early

                  Drents Museum Frida Kahlo exhibit extended

                  Bittersweet Heritage

                  Bittersweet Heritage: a cultural event exploring Groningen’s connections to slavery

                  Fries Museum to loan series of renowned portraits from London’s National Portrait Gallery

                  Frisians Mata Hari and Titia Bergsma to feature in History Canon

                  A stumbling stone in Groningen

                  New foundation for “stumbling stones” in Groningen

                  National Holocaust Museum launching a temporary exhibit in Leeuwarden

                  National Holocaust Museum launching a temporary exhibit in Leeuwarden

                  Trending Tags

                  • People
                    • All
                    • Expats
                    • International students
                    Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                    Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                    What’s it like working in Northern Netherlands?

                    What’s it like working in Northern Netherlands?

                    Student protest Groningen: ‘Where is a vaccine against psychological problems?’

                    New mini-doc highlights how Groningen students struggle to find housing

                    ESN/ISO: “International students neglected in higher education in the Netherlands”

                    ESN/ISO: “International students neglected in higher education in the Netherlands”

                    ESN launches ‘buddy programme’ for students in Groningen

                    ESN launches ‘buddy programme’ for students in Groningen

                    A letter from the Editor – Internationals from 120 countries: Welcome to Groningen, Leeuwarden, Assen and Emmen!

                    ‘University of Groningen must do more for the mental health of students’

                    From a WhatsApp group to a community: BLOG offers a ready-made social space for Black Ladies in Groningen

                    From a WhatsApp group to a community: BLOG offers a ready-made social space for Black Ladies in Groningen

                    First students snap up alternate study spots in Oosterpoort

                    Dutch student grades rise during pandemic whilst mental health suffers

                    NHL_Stenden_studying

                    New students in Leeuwarden get ‘Coronaproof’ introduction week

                    Trending Tags

                    • Opportunities
                      • All
                      • business
                      • Education
                      Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                      Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                      Annual Beta Business Days event a success

                      Annual Beta Business Days event a success

                      What’s it like working in Northern Netherlands?

                      Startup Visa Crew offers support to Ukrainian entrepreneurs (Переклад українською)

                      Gasunie to build €60 million green gas plant in Delfzijl

                      Gasunie to build €60 million green gas plant in Delfzijl

                      Hundreds set to join online job-networking event

                      Hundreds set to join online job-networking event

                      How to enter academia in the Netherlands

                      How to enter academia in the Netherlands

                      3 ideas for student-friendly jobs in the North

                      3 ideas for student-friendly jobs in the North

                      Meet 3 startups that are Making it in the North

                      Meet 3 startups that are Making it in the North

                      Job opportunities in the North increase

                      Job opportunities in the North increase

                      Trending Tags

                      • Submit A Tip/Article
                      The Northern Times
                      logo The Northern Times
                      Home Culture Dutch history
                      Zuidbroek_gas_refinery

                      History of earthquakes in Groningen

                      Traci White by Traci White
                      January 12, 2018
                      in Dutch history, Economics
                      0
                      Share on TwitterShare on FacebookWhatsapp

                      2018 has started off with an unpleasant bang in the province of Groningen: on Monday, 8 January, a 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck 25 miles above the city. There were reports of shaking across the province, including in the city itself. Thousands of tremors have hit the province in the past 20 years as a result of natural gas extraction operations. Production has been severely reduced in recent years in an effort to cause fewer quakes, but the quake on Monday was the third strongest yet to be measured in the province.

                      The location of most of the gas is relatively shallow, and with little forestation and only small clusters of developed areas, there is not much on the surface to absorb the impact of the earthquakes in the province. When they do happen, their impact can be felt many kilometers away from the epicenter.

                      When the Slochteren gas field was discovered in 1959, it was not immediately clear just how large the natural gas reserve was. Three kilometers underground lie a 2.8 trillion cubic meter gas field contained by the sandstone above: the reservoir is naturally sealed by the geological development of a layer of salt. Gas extraction operations occurred in Groningen for 20 years without any induced earthquakes, but according to figures from the Dutch meteorological organization KNMI, there have been 1,470 earthquakes in the Netherlands since 1986: on Christmas Day of that year, a 2.8 quake struck in Assen.

                      The quakes were relatively rare at first. Between 1986 and 1990, there were only three recorded quakes. But starting in the ‘90s, they were detected more frequently: there were 4 in 1991, 6 in 1992, and 16 in 1993. Twenty years later, the quakes had become so frequent that there was one earthquake every three days on average: there were 133 confirmed earthquakes in 2013. Of those, 121 occurred in the province of Groningen. That year coincided with the largest amount of extracted gas – 53.9 billion cubic meters – since the quakes became a common occurrence.

                      Nine quakes have been measured above 3.0 on the Richter scale since 2001. The biggest measured quake so far – 3.6 – occurred in 2012 in Huizinge. The quake on January 8 is the largest quake since then. Starting in 2013, the Dutch government called for the gas production operations to pump the brakes in an effort to prevent more earthquakes. The government has capped the operations at the Groningen gas field to 24 billion cubic meters per year through 2021. But despite only 19.3 billion cubic meters being extracted in 2017, there were actually even more induced earthquakes registered than in 2013. That does not necessarily mean there were more of these smaller quakes: NAM’s detection and measurement network was upgraded in 2014, which made it easier to detect activity below 1.5.

                      Friesland and Drenthe

                      Groningen is not the only Dutch province where gas extraction occurs. Friesland and Drenthe also have sites where natural gas is extracted or refined, including in the vicinity of the Wadden Sea. But roughly half of all the natural gas used in this country comes from the Slochteren gas field in the province of Groningen. Natural gas is a highly common energy source across the Netherlands: 40 billion cubic meters are used domestically in the Netherlands annually on average. Natural gas is more or less just methane – only ten percent of natural gas consists of other gases. Methane can trap significant amounts of heat in its unburned form, and a considerable quantity can escape during extraction and transportation.

                      Fifty years of extraction have resulted in roughly 1,700 billion cubic meters of gas being pumped out of the ground thus far, which is about two-thirds of the total estimated amount held in the reservoir. Extraction operations in the gas field in Groningen are run by the Dutch Petroleum Company (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV), better known as NAM. NAM is co-owned by Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil. Roughly 1,800 employees work for NAM, but most of the facilities across Groningen are largely unmanned: the majority of those jobs are at NAM’s headquarters in Assen, in the northern province of Drenthe.

                      Unsafe schools

                      Over the past 50 years, revenue from the extraction, refinement, storage, transportation and sales of natural gas in the Netherlands is estimated to be above 250 billion euros, which has been primarily reinvested in infrastructure, including tunnels, train tracks, upgrades to Dutch highways, water management, train stations and urban development initiatives. NAM has set aside 1.2 billion euros to compensate the thousands of people living in the earthquake-prone areas of Groningen, but the historic brick farmhouses dotting the previously peaceful landscape were not built to withstand sustained seismic activity. Many structures have been so severely damaged that they have been condemned or torn down. According to an investigation by Dagblad van het Noorden, 89 buildings have been demolished as a result of the gas extractions, and an additional 372 buildings are listed as vulnerable. Children from two elementary schools in the town of Loppersum have to attend classes elsewhere because their schools were deemed unsafe: one of the schools, Prinses Beatrix, was torn down in 2017.

                      In 2016, research from the University of Groningen estimated that up to 100,000 people in the province had suffered damage from the quakes. While the persistent quakes have taken a toll on the residents of the province mentally, financially and emotionally, as far as has been made publicly known, no injuries or deaths have directly resulted from the manmade quakes. But the locals are not taking it lying down: a handful of fierce activist groups (Groninger Bodem Beweging, Groningers in Opstand, Schokkend Groningen, among others) have cropped up over the past ten years, organizing torch-lit marches, tractor-filled demonstrations, and protesting at gas extraction sites throughout the province.

                      Tags: Featured
                      Previous Post

                      Tata Steel Chess Tournament on Tour in the Academy Building

                      Next Post

                      Hanze excels in entrepreneurship

                      Traci White

                      Traci White

                      Related Posts

                      Groningen house-buyers pay an average of 12,7% higher than original asking price

                      Groningen house-buyers pay an average of 12,7% higher than original asking price

                      May 18, 2022
                      Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                      Companies in Dutch energy sector seek next cohort of young leaders

                      May 17, 2022
                      Three Northern Provinces to ask for hundreds of millions for Energy Transition from EU

                      Credit institutions fear rise in household indebtedness

                      May 5, 2022
                      An American Groninger in Madurodam

                      Should Groningen turn gas taps back on fully? Vote in our poll

                      April 11, 2022
                      Annual Beta Business Days event a success

                      Annual Beta Business Days event a success

                      April 3, 2022
                      Resato in Assen to build new hydrogen filling stations

                      Filling up? Here’s where to find cheapest gas in Drenthe and Groningen

                      April 1, 2022
                      Next Post
                      Bangs, where South Korean contemporary urban identity begins

                      Hanze excels in entrepreneurship

                      Groningen Seaports and Top Dutch lead metal-factory Van Merksteijn to Eemshaven-port

                      Discussion about this post

                      Most popular this week

                      • Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

                        Reports of needle drugging filed in Groningen

                        0 shares
                        Share 0 Tweet 0
                      • Train dream: from Groningen to Copenhagen in 5.5 hours by 2050

                        0 shares
                        Share 0 Tweet 0
                      • Groningen Meikermis fair about to kick off

                        0 shares
                        Share 0 Tweet 0
                      • More people test positive for monkeypox in NL

                        0 shares
                        Share 0 Tweet 0
                      • Back from the dead: previously bankrupt Vapiano may re-open on June 1

                        0 shares
                        Share 0 Tweet 0
                      The Northern Times

                      The Northern Times

                      NorthernTimes.nl is an English-language news site for internationals and anyone interested in news and activities in the three northern Dutch provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. The website provides daily coverage and summaries of local news in the north, as well as human interest stories, backgrounds and a regional events calendar. The Northern Times is an initiative of the International Welcome Center North in cooperation with Persbureau Tammeling BV, which owns and operates the website.

                      Powered by:

                      Akkoord van Groningen, Gemeente Groningen, Koninklijke Metaalunie & FME, University of Groningen, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, Samenwerking Noord, Campus Groningen, and DUO/NEC NL (Nationaal Europass Centrum Nederland). 

                      Privacy statement and disclaimer 

                      NorthernTimes.nl is an English-language news site for internationals and anyone interested in news and activities in the three northern Dutch provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. The website provides daily coverage and summaries of local news in the north, as well as human interest stories, backgrounds and a regional events calendar. The Northern Times is an initiative of the International Welcome Center North in cooperation with Persbureau Tammeling BV, which owns and operates the website.

                      Newsletter

                      Once or twice a week, we send out a digital newsletter to our subscribers. We will not and cannot share email addresses or any other personal data provided by our subscribers with any third parties, nor will we use this information for any purposes other than providing the newsletter. 

                      Questions or comments?

                      If you have any questions concerning your privacy or comments about ways that you think we could further protect and inform you about your privacy, please let us know by contacting us at info@tammeling.nl

                      Disclaimer

                      The Northern Times reserves the right to change its privacy policy, but will inform our subscribers and readers in advance prior to implementing any such changes. These changes will be published in a timely manner on The Northern Times’ website.

                      Tags

                      Arriva (49) Art (62) Assen (181) Climate Change (49) Coronavirus (498) coronavirus regulations (48) COVID-19 (331) COVID 19 (58) culture (44) Drachten (47) Drenthe (863) earthquakes (52) Eelde (44) Emmen (157) festival (43) football (62) Friesland (933) Groningen (1856) Groningen Airport Eelde (51) Groninger Museum (48) Hanzehogeschool (53) Heerenveen (41) Hoogeveen (49) housing (110) international students (53) jobs (63) Leeuwarden (405) Make it in the North (55) Mark Rutte (44) music (41) natural gas (55) Netherlands (67) NHL Stenden (50) NS (43) police (66) protest (56) RUG (146) Schiermonnikoog (40) Sneek (43) students (92) train (63) UMCG (108) University of Groningen (197) Wadden Sea (42) what's on (67)
                      • News
                      • Lifestyle
                      • Culture
                      • People
                      • Opportunities
                      • Submit A Tip/Article

                      © Copyrights The Northern Times 2018

                      No Result
                      View All Result
                      • Culture
                        • Dutch history
                        • Typical Dutch
                      • Lifestyle
                        • Food & Drinks
                        • Nightlife
                        • Shopping
                        • What’s happening
                      • News
                        • Economics
                        • Politics
                        • Sports
                        • Tech
                      • People
                        • Expats
                        • International students
                      • Opportunities
                        • business
                        • Education
                      • Bloom: Subscribe