OECD Europe gas production falls 6%

Indigenous gas production in OECD countries decreased by 1.2% in January 2016 compared with a year earlier, mainly driven by a 6% decline in output from OECD Europe, according to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Gas imports in OECD countries increased slightly, up 1.3% over the period, also driven by OECD Europe, where they grew by 5.1%.

Gas production in the Netherlands continued to show a strong decline of 29% year on year.

A Dutch court ordered the giant Groningen field to limit its output to 27 bcm for 2016.

In Germany, Europe’s largest gas market, consumption increased by 7.8% in January 2016 from a year earlier, to 11.0 bcm.

Imports increased by 20% over the period to 13.4 bcm.

Gas production in the UK increased by 3.5% year on year in Janaury 2016, to 3.8 bcm.

The country’s imports decreased by 8.3% over the period, from 5.0 bcm to 4.6 bcm, while gross consumption decreased by 1.2%.

Italian imports increased by 6.1% year on year in January 2016, from 5.0 bcm to 5.3 bcm. The country’s consumption also increased by 4.7% over the period, from 8.7 bcm to 9.1 bcm.

Norwegian production continued its upward trend and increased by 8.5% compared with the same month last year, according to the IEA.

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