The natural gas and oil industry in Germany produced smaller quantities from domestic sources in 2022, despite the increased demand for raw materials due to the energy crisis. In view of the fact that production has been declining for years, she now wants to focus more on more promising businesses such as geothermal energy, hydrogen or CO₂ storage. The Federal Association for Natural Gas, Oil and Geoenergy (BVEG) is also calling for a new debate on the possibilities of fracking technology.
According to BVEG information, the volume of natural gas extracted in Germany decreased from around 5.2 billion cubic meters (2021) to 4.8 billion cubic meters last year. The development of crude oil was similar, with domestic production falling from around 1.8 million tons to 1.7 million tons. According to industry information, these quantities can still cover around 5.5 percent (gas) or two percent (oil) of domestic demand. “Our options are limited,” said association chief Ludwig Möhring. After all, the national gas share increased slightly in 2022.
However, self-funding continues to decline. It used to be up to 20 billion cubic meters of gas or more per year in Germany, but the reserves in conventional deposits were increasingly being exhausted. The prices for fossil raw materials, which are still very high, would only fall if the supply expanded, said Möhring. He proposed a new evaluation of improved processes for obtaining bound gas with fracking: “The energy crisis makes it all the more clear that we have to rethink this potential. This includes a balanced decision regarding the shale gas option.” Large quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which Europe imports from the USA, would be promoted there. The ramp-up of renewable energies alone, “however important it is”, will not be enough for the time being.
In the meantime, Germany will continue to need gas, in connection with the nuclear phase-out and the planned coal phase-out, also to generate electricity. “Germany trusts in others. Of course you can do that,” said Möhring, as long as you accept dependencies. He criticized the fact that large parts of politics “don’t even bother” to think again about the use of more environmentally friendly fracking approaches. Theoretically, the amount could be increased to up to a fifth of Germany’s gas requirements using shale gas.
Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) spoke out against the funding method and exchanged blows on this issue with his Bavarian colleague Markus Söder (CSU). Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) campaigned for an entry if ecologically acceptable fracking is used. Gas wells are often criticized because of other concerns – they can trigger minor earthquakes.