Shell, Exxon refuse to compensate farmers for gas drilling earthquakes

Dutch farm damaged by earthquakes as a consequence of gas extraction, ANP photo

This photo shows a Dutch farm in Groningen province, one of many buildings damaged by earthquakes as a consequence of natural gas extraction.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV today:

Seven farmers in the province of Groningen will have a lawsuit against the Dutch Petroleum Company (NAM).

Shell and Exxon each own 50% of the shares in the NAM corporation which extracts gas in Groningen.

They claim some six million euros from the NAM for the damage caused by gas drilling.

Lately there were negotiations between the farmers and the gas corporation, but these did not have results. … Thus, one of the farmers received an offer of 40,000 euros, while he says he lost a total of 1.3 million euros.

For most farmers NAM would reimburse only a small part or nothing of the damage to farms. There’s a huge gap between counter-expertise at the request of the farmers and the offer by the NAM. …

According to him [the farmers’ legal adviser], the NAM is just stalling. “That is a familiar tactic. First, it has already been about three months before they responded to our claim. And they are trying to postpone a lawsuit for as long as possible.”