Oil and gas recovery in Natura 2000 areas
Permission has been granted in over forty per cent of the area covered by the Dutch section of the North Sea for oil and gas exploration and production. Oil production is being wound down and gas production has been identified as a necessary intermediate step towards a fossil-fuel free future. As a result of the geopolitical developments in 2022, the status of each and every gas field in the Dutch section of the North Sea has been upgraded for a period of ten years.
In some instances, North Sea oil and gas installations (platforms) are near or even in Natura 2000 areas. Both the construction and operations phase, and the clean-up phase involve disruption. An operational platform discharges waste water from production, drilling fluid and cuttings into the sea. Helicopters land regularly and the light from platforms disrupts the night sky. Volgens onderzoek van Imares, these factors could well have an effect on the conservation targets in the respective Natura2000 areas. In most cases, the researchers' recommendations suggest that it is possible to reduce or mitigate the pressure. In addition, the positive effects of the fishing-free areas, extending 500 metres around platforms, can also be seen. Life on the seabed, and the fish species and porpoises this attracts benefit from this.