The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demands 20 million euros from the Dutch Oil Company (NAM) for committing various environmental offenses. This is the penalty demanded by the public prosecutor on Tuesday in the court in Zwolle. The OM suspects that the NAM has received dangerous waste streams, originating from natural gas extraction, without a permit, has mixed them, and injected them into the ground. The NAMs operations have been careless and non-transparent for years, while citizens and the government should be well informed about this.
The criminal investigation was initiated following transport controls. The NAM transported process water, and different codes, names, and products were found on the transport documents. It was clear that large quantities were being transported, while there were also many uncertainties. The final investigation focused on a period between 2010 and 2022. During that period, liquid waste generated from gas extraction in the North Sea was processed above ground and ultimately injected deep underground in the Groningse village of Borgsweer. The NAM presented the situation as if regular wastewater was going into the ground. They applied for permits for that. The company did receive those permits. However, in reality, dangerous wastewater was received, and this dangerous wastewater was injected into the ground without a permit.
Hazardous substance mercury
The NAM drills for natural gas at sea. The raw material extracted is liquid and consists of water and gas condensate, among other things. These substances are separated. The water is disposed of as regular wastewater, but it contains the hazardous substance mercury. Therefore, according to the OM, it must be legally treated as hazardous wastewater. To receive, mix, and inject hazardous wastewater, permits are required. This way, proper supervision can be maintained over how and in what quantity substances are returned to the ground. That supervision is important for the environment and our (living) environment and for the safety and health of people.
Irresponsible behavior
By presenting an incorrect representation of facts and thus being non-transparent, the NAM has behaved irresponsibly. For every Dutch citizen, the law and regulations must be followed. This is no different for a large and specialized company like the NAM.
NAM management was outraged
Society must be able to trust that a large and powerful player like the NAM adheres to the rules. The history of natural gas extraction and the developments surrounding it in society should warrant an integrity and careful attitude. However, various wiretaps show that this was not the case with the management of the NAM. When the role of managers came into focus at the OM, unsuccessful attempts were made from the NAM to exert influence at the highest political level.
NAMs attitude
The OM finds a penalty of 20 million euros appropriate. This is proportional and effective in relation to the long period during which the offenses were committed. Additionally, the size of the company has also been weighed in the penalty demand. The investigation further shows that the NAM saved costs by not complying with laws and regulations. In total, this involves an amount of over 5.6 million euros. The OM believes that crime should not pay and has therefore asked the court to confiscate this amount.
