The Netherlands won't lift small gas fields output after Groningen halt

The Dutch government said on Friday it would not increase production at small gas fields in the Netherlands to compensate for halting production at Groningen in coming years.

The Netherlands said this month it would halt production at Groningen, Europe's largest onshore natural gas field, by 2022, eight years earlier than initially planned.

Economic Affairs Minister Eric Wiebes informed parliament on Friday that "the ending of gas extraction at Groningen in 2022 with not lead to higher production at 240 small gas fields in the Netherlands," a statement said. "The volume will in fact decrease."