Country profile: Netherlands

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Climate:

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Size:

41526 sq. km total (Land area: 33883 sq. km Water area: 7643 sq.km)

Population:

16,645,313 (July 2008 est.)

Languages:

Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Government:

constitutional monarchy

Capital city:

Amsterdam

Legal system:

based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Currency:

euro (EUR)

Licensing:

Country profile

Significant North Sea oil and natural gas reserves were discovered in the 1970s. However, the North Sea did not emerge as a key, non-OPEC oil producing area until the 1980s and 1990s, when major projects began coming onstream. Oil and natural gas extraction in the North Sea's inhospitable climate and great depths requires sophisticated offshore technology. Consequently, the region is a relatively high-cost producer, but its political stability and proximity to major European consumer markets have allowed it to play a major role in world oil and natural gas markets. Five countries operate crude oil and natural gas production facilities in the North Sea: Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Although the region will continue to be a sizable crude oil producer, output from its largest producers - the UK and Norway - has peaked and entered a period of long term decline. In the near term, improved oil recovery technologies, continued high oil prices and new projects coming online could temporarily delay declines in North Sea crude oil output. Nonetheless, only new discoveries of sizable volumes could reverse the current downward trend of oil production from the North Sea. In regards to natural gas, the North Sea is also seen as a mature region.

Only Norway has seen an increase in natural gas production in recent years, while the UK will likely become a net gas importer in the midterm. Nevertheless, the North Sea’s importance as a key supplier of natural gas will continue, as natural gas consumption in Europe will increase significantly in the future. Imports from outside sources, such as Africa, the Middle East and Russia, will have to increase to compensate for the North Sea decline.

Energy production and consumption

Oil

Gas

Production:

76,000 bbl/day (2006)

77 billion cu m (2006)

Consumption:

1 million bbl/day (2006)

47 billion cu m (2006)

Exports:

1 million bbl/day (2006)

50 billion cu m (2006)

Imports:

2 million bbl/day (2006)

22 billion cu m (2006)

Reserves:

106 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

1 trllion cu m (2007)

Major fields:

Netherlands - recent news

25 Jul 24	Netherlands: TotalEnergies acquires a stake in the OranjeWind offshore wind farm with a view to supplying green hydrogen to its European refineries TotalEnergies has signed agreements with German renewable developer RWE, to acquire a 50% stake in OranjeWind, a 795 MW offshore wind farm under development in the Netherlands. TotalEnergies will dedicate its share of the renewable electricity production from this project to power 350 MW electrolyzer projects. These will produce about 40,000 tons per year of green hydrogen for the decarbonization of TotalEnergies’ refineries in Northern Europe.
19 Jul 24	Netherlands: Tenaz Energy announces agreement to acquire NAM Offshore Tenaz Energy Corp has entered into an agreement with Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij B.V. ('NAM'), a 50/50 joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil Corporation, to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of NAM Offshore B.V. ('NOBV') for base consideration of €165 million ($246 million).
09 Jul 24	Netherlands: SSE and partners move forward with development of 2GW offshore wind farm in the Netherlands SSE with its joint venture partner APG (acting on behalf of Dutch pension fund ABP) has confirmed it is moving forward with the 2GW Alpha offshore wind tender site (SSE share 50%) in the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone in the Netherlands. Subject to reaching a Final Investment Decision (FID), expected by late 2025, the wind farm would be commissioned by the end of the decade.
02 Jul 24	Netherlands: Shell to temporarily pause on-site construction of European biofuels facility Shell Nederland Raffinaderij B.V., a subsidiary of Shell, is to temporarily pause on-site construction work at its 820,000 tonnes a year biofuels facility at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam in the Netherlands to address project delivery and ensure future competitiveness given current market conditions.
13 Jun 24	Netherlands: SSE and partners selected in Netherlands offshore wind tender A consortium of ABP, APG and SSE Renewables (‘Noordzeker’) has been selected by the Dutch authorities to progress with their bid in the competitive 2GW Alpha offshore wind tender site in the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone in the Netherlands.