Netherlands to end production at giant Groningen gas field by 1 October

Production at the giant Groningen gas field in the Netherlands will end by 1 October. The Dutch government announced this today, confirming earlier media reports. The Groningen field still contains large amounts of natural gas, but production is already minimal because it causes seismic problems, Reuters reported. According to AFP, it is the largest natural gas field in Europe.

The government said today that, in exceptional circumstances next year, it would allow production at Groningen, but only on a very limited scale. „If the weather is very cold and we have problems with gas supplies, we will be able to restart one or more production facilities,“ State Secretary for the Mining Industry Hans Vijlbrief said.

After October next year, however, production facilities at Groningen will be dismantled, according to the state secretary, because the transformation of the energy sector will by then ensure sufficient gas supplies for Dutch consumers.

Production at Groningen was reduced last October to the minimum needed to keep operations running, around three billion cubic metres a year. It peaked in 1976, when output reached 88 billion cubic metres. Six years ago, annual production was close to 30 billion cubic metres, Reuters reported.