Gas extraction in Groningen to dip below 10bcm next gas year

The analysis by GTS also shows that less gas needs to be extracted from the Groningen field in the current gas year than expected, namely 10bcm of natural gas instead of 11.8bcm. There are three reasons for this. The first is the mild winter. Secondly, an average nitrogen usage level of 109% was achieved in the first quarter of this gas year. And lastly, there has been an increase in the working gas volume at the Norg gas storage facility, which can be used to further reduce Groningen production. Thanks to these developments, there will be less need to depend on the Groningen field to secure the supply of natural gas, meaning that it is expected that extraction can be reduced.

The measures taken by GTS, like the construction of the Zuidbroek nitrogen plant and the expansion at Wieringermeer, are helping to accelerate the total phase-out of gas production in Groningen. It is expected that from mid-2022 security of supply can be ensured without gas from the Groningen field. Only if, in cold situations, the storages or nitrogen facilities are partially unavailable, a very small amount is needed from the Groningen field. To reach this target, it is essential that there is a sufficient supply of high-calorific gas and that the existing storage capacity for low-calorific gas is retained. The Groningen field is expected to be definitively closed in 2026.

Click here to see the recommendations of GTS

To help formulate our recommendations, we arranged a market consultation to allow the various representative organisations to give their views on the basic assumptions/principles used and the proposed actions. This market consultation ran from 20 November to 6 December 2019. On 27 November, we organised a workshop in which we explained the actions and assumptions. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the various parties for submitting their consultation responses. We have included these in our final recommendation document.

The table below includes links to the responses of the various market parties and to a comment and response matrix, in which we describe what we have done or will be doing with regard to the matters brought up in the comments from the market parties.