Gas Drilling at Borkum: Court Confirms Immediate Enforcement - Dutch Firm Pushes Ahead with Cross-Border North Sea Gas Drilling Despite Protests
A Dutch energy company is moving forward with a controversial gas drilling project in the North Sea. The plan involves extracting natural gas from a deposit that crosses into German waters, despite ongoing legal challenges. A recent court ruling has cleared the way for exploratory work to begin immediately.
The gas field lies beneath both Dutch and German sections of the North Sea. Extraction has already started in the Dutch sector, but the project now extends into German territory. Dutch firm One-Dyas intends to drill from a platform in its own waters, reaching into Germany's exclusive economic zone.
A bilateral treaty between the two countries divides the gas reserves, though it has not yet been formally ratified. The project has faced opposition, particularly from the German islands of Borkum and Juist, which filed an emergency motion to halt the work. However, the Higher Administrative Court in Lüneburg rejected their request, allowing immediate enforcement of the drilling plans.
The court found no evidence that the project's approval was unlawful. While exploratory drilling can now proceed, full-scale extraction still requires final authorisation. One-Dyas is working in partnership with Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) and Tenaz Energy, though the exact authority that granted the concession remains unclear.
The ruling removes a temporary obstacle for One-Dyas, enabling initial drilling near Borkum to go ahead. The decision does not resolve the broader legal dispute, and final approval for full extraction is still pending. The project's future depends on further regulatory steps and the eventual ratification of the bilateral treaty.
