THE HAGUE – There are no plans for oil extraction near Saba, according to Dutch Minister of Climate and Green Growth Stientje van Veldhoven, who addressed the issue during a parliamentary debate on measures to mitigate rising oil and fuel prices.
The topic was raised by MP Frederik Jansen of Forum for Democracy, who pointed to the possible presence of an offshore oil field near Saba. He suggested that the site, estimated in some studies to contain up to 500 million barrels of oil, could be explored in the event of fuel shortages.
Jansen called on the minister to consider launching an investigation into oil extraction off the coast of Saba, noting that the island is a special municipality of the Netherlands.
Van Veldhoven responded that multiple studies have already been conducted in the past, primarily by commercial parties, but none resulted in a viable extraction plan. She also emphasized environmental concerns, stating that the area lies close to a protected coral reef.
“Both economically and ecologically, no opportunities for oil extraction near Saba have been identified,” the minister said.
The broader impact of the global fuel crisis on the Caribbean Netherlands was not discussed further during the debate.