Groningen gas field discovered

The discovery of natural gas resources in Groningen on July 22, 1959 fundamentally changed the Dutch and European approach to energy use. Previously, Western European societies were heavily dependent on coal and oil. Now there seemed to be a cheap and even environmentally friendlier alternative, since gas was a much cleaner fossil fuel. When production started in 1963, huge volumes of gas were extracted and delivered to households all over Europe via a newly established distribution network.
The energy crisis of the 1970s led to changes in gas extraction and distribution. Dutch authorities directed policies toward supporting the creation of smaller gas fields, many of them offshore. Sustainable use policies were also introduced in order to conserve the gas volume in Gronigen. As a result of these policies, the Groningen gas field currently holds the 9th position among the world’s producing fields. The field is projected to maintain this level of production until 2020, when it will begin a gradual decline.