Langwedel denies Harbour Energy access for gas exploration

The municipality of Langwedel has denied Harbour Energy the right of way required to conduct a natural gas exploration drilling project. The proposed exploratory well, designated Nindorf Z1, is intended to determine if exploitable natural gas reserves exist between Holtebüttel and Langwedel-Förth.

While the drilling site south of the A27 motorway has already been secured, the local government refuses to allow the use of municipal land and roads for access. This opposition follows concerns regarding previous earthquakes linked to regional gas production. The dispute has persisted since 2018, originally involving DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG before the project transitioned through corporate mergers.

Harbour Energy already operates several existing fields in the area, including Völkersen, Weißenmoor, and Rehden, through its operator Gas Nord. The company may seek to bypass the local refusal through regulations in the Federal Mining Act, a matter that now requires clarification from the State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG).