Health, Safety, Security and Environment

Health, Safety, Security

Underground gas storage using depleted reservoirs is a proven technology with hundreds of facilities operating safely all over the world. Health and safety is our number one priority. Effective Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) management are the top priorities of our business. Our fundamental approach is established through our HSSE Management System and we measure performance and results through comprehensive audits and self-assessments. The HSSE department works with colleagues across our business to support TAQA’s activities, such as the investment strategy, as well as supporting our relationships with other stakeholders including suppliers, minority investments, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and industry groups. TAQA’s HSSE strategy is designed to add value to the business by aligning closely with our overall value chain. Each year we will focus proactively on the acquisition, integration/optimisation and operational phases.

Zero emission

We strive to minimise the environmental impact of our gas storage facilities. As a result of using the most advanced technology our state-of-the-art gas treatment facility is free of carbon dioxide emissions: zero emission.

Towards sustainability

Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel available. Even so, in a bid to tackle climate change and in line with European policy, the Dutch Government wants 16 percent of all energy consumption in the Netherlands to come from renewable sources such as solar power and wind by 2023. Gas Storage Bergermeer has a role to play in meeting this ambitious target. That is because when these renewable sources are unable to meet our energy demand, people will still be able to rely on a ready supply of natural gas – whatever the weather.

The possibility of tremors

The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) registers all seismic activity in the Netherlands above 1.5 on the Richter scale. For measuring smaller underground tremors, even those below zero on the Richter scale, GSB installed very sensitive monitoring equipment in 2010.

The data from these monitoring tools show that since TAQA started injecting cushion gas into the reservoir to increase the reservoir pressure, the amount of tremors went down and were low in magnitudes (< 1). People cannot feel tremors from this magnitude at surface. This shows the reservoir got more stable because of the increasing pressure. This is in line with the conclusions of different research institutes that performed studies before the start of the project.

The most recent subsurface study determined the seismic risks associated with GSB and incorporated four years of actual data from storage operations. The study concluded that the subsurface risks related to the operation of GSB are lower than initially thought before the project.