Netherlands turns to LNG
The Dutch reign as a pivotal European gas supplier is officially over, as supply from the Groningen gas field declines
The Netherlands is now officially a net gas importer, as dwindling domestic gas output means it is no longer a key European supplier. As a result, the country has nearly tripled LNG imports into its sole terminal, at Rotterdam, to ensure it can meet domestic demand. Dutch LNG imports rose 167pc in 2018 to a record-breaking 4.05bn m³, government data shows. The Netherlands' own gas production, mainly from the giant Groningen gas field, was for the first time in nearly six decades insufficient to meet annual domestic demand. GasTerra, the official wholesaler of Dutch gas, says the Netherlands' reliance on imports is bound to rise over the coming years. "Ever since the first molecules of gas st
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution






