Exploitation of natural gasThe North Sea bottom is an important source for natural gas. This gas was originally created from carbonized peat in the Carboniferous Period around 300 million years ago. A tremendous supply also lies under the tidal flats in the Wadden Sea, some of which is being exploited. Exploiting gas in the Wadden Sea is being expanded. Gas exploitation in the North Sea is exploited by the Netherlands, England and Norway. The major part of the large gas fields have been more or less emptied anno 2007. Therefore, gas companies are now directing their attention to the smaller gas pockets. |
- Gas balance
In 2002, the total Dutch production of natural gas (on land as well as at sea) was 70.7 billion cubic meter. Of that amount, 25.2 billion cubic meters came out of the Dutch North Sea.
In the graph below, one can see that the amount of natural gas extracted from Dutch bottoms is much greater than the amount that is imported. Exploitation is around twice as much as the total national use.
