BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 9. The overall outlook for European (EU+UK) gas production for the rest of 2022 and into 2023 is a slight year-on-year decline, with little prospect of a substantial increase from any productive source, Trend reports with reference to Oxford Institute of Energy Studies (OIES).
OIES notes that the ongoing story of European gas production and non-Russian pipeline imports is relatively straightforward: both are at close to maximum capacity, with little prospect of substantial upside in the coming 12-18 months.
“European gas production (in the EU-27 and UK) in the year to date (January to May) peaked in January, as it usually does, and then flattened off in the subsequent months. In the UK, production has recovered from its dip between April and July 2021, caused by maintenance that had been delayed by COVID-19, meaning there is the expectation of a slight year-on-year increase in 2022 over 2021. In the EU outside the Netherlands, production continues its gradual decline, especially in Germany, Italy, and Ireland,” reads the OIES report.
The report reveals that a key factor is gas production in the Netherlands, where the ramp-down of the Groningen field was expected to lead to a complete cessation of production in 2022. However, on 20 June it was announced that the Dutch government had triggered an emergency plan to allow production of 2.8 bcm in the gas year 2022/2023, down from 4.5 bcm in the current gas year.
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