Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Natural Gas Country Notes

The Netherlands WEC Member Committee, quoting advice from the Netherlands Institute of Applied Geoscience TNO, reports proved recoverable reserves as 1 256 bcm, somewhat below the range of end-2005 volumes given by the standard published sources (1 387-1 756 bcm). However, Dutch reserves still represent one of the largest gas resources in Western Europe. The giant Groningen field in the north-west of the Netherlands accounts for almost two-thirds of the country's proved reserves.
The estimated additional amount in place is given by the Member Committee as ranging from 180 to 440 bcm, but no indications of the volume recoverable were available to report.

Gas production has tended to fluctuate in recent years, depending on weather conditions in Europe, thus demonstrating the flexibility that enables the Netherlands to play the role of a swing producer.

Over half of Netherlands gas output is exported, principally to Germany but also to Italy, Belgium, France, the UK and Switzerland. The principal domestic markets are electricity and heat generation, the residential sector and industrial fuel and feedstock.