Natural gas consumption in 2022 at lowest level in 50 years

Elderly lady looks at a heater's thermostat
© ANP / Patricia Rehe
In 2022, natural gas consumption in the Netherlands was down by a quarter relative to 2021. Total consumption stood at 31 billion cubic metres, the lowest level since 1972. Especially large industrial companies and households used less natural gas. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on newly released figures.

Natural gas consumption
JAARTotal consumption (bn m3)
197234.121
197337.931
197440.384
197542.093
197643.735
197743.893
197843.989
197943.786
198040.03
198138.105
198236.23
198338.547
198440.719
198542.756
198642.878
198744.368
198840.252
198941.137
199040.658
199145.465
199244.048
199345.204
199444.14
199545.643
199650.282
199747.305
199847.001
199945.767
200046.243
200147.462
200247.357
200347.608
200448.616
200546.744
200645.327
200744.134
200845.881
200946.963
201053.046
201146.412
201244.37
201344.25
201438.597
201537.987
201639.852
201741.367
201840.796
201942.576
202041.832
202140.134
202231.218

Large industrial companies that normally have high natural gas consumption levels consumed over a quarter less in 2022 than in the previous year. This decline was strongest among companies in the petroleum and chemical industries. Power plants consumed 12 percent less natural gas.

Natural gas consumption by households declined as well in 2022, by a quarter year on year. A part of this decline can be attributed to warmer weather (10 percent). When high temperatures are taken into account, consumption was 15 percent lower than in 2021. This was largely due to sharply higher natural gas prices.

The decline in natural gas consumption is partially on account of greenhouse horticulture companies producing their own electricity with a gas engine. These holdings consumed over 30 percent less natural gas in their gas engines.

Natural gas consumption
JAARPower plants (bn m3)Large natural gas-intensive companies (bn m3)Dwellings (bn m3)Gas engines at greenhouse horticulture companies (bn m3)
201910.3169.1698.7372.958
202010.6588.9848.3642.9
20217.4768.6729.5313.153
20226.5646.2827.1582.165

Gas storage facilities are well-filled

At the end of 2022, the Netherlands’ gas reserves were 122 percent larger than at the end of 2021. This means that three quarters of the storage facilities were filled. This is mainly because less natural gas was consumed and more gas was imported (+4.4 billion m3). However, natural gas extraction was down last year (-3.4 billion m3) compared to 2021.

In 2022, imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) doubled (+9.1 billion m3) relative to 2021. A major cause is the commissioning of the LNG terminal off the coast of Eemshaven. One third of total gas imports were liquefied natural gas.

The import of gaseous natural gas was 4.6 billion m3 lower in 2022 than in 2021. Imports from Norway and Germany were down in particular. Gaseous gas exports were lower as well (-1.3 billion m3).

Closing stocks of natural gas reserves
JAARMAANDGaseous gas closing stock (bn m3)Liquefied gas closing stock (bn m3)
2019Jan8.0390.136
2019Feb6.6090.233
2019Mar6.4590.212
2019Apr7.0480.199
2019May8.3660.109
2019Jun10.1990.336
2019Jul11.4470.242
2019Aug12.6130.329
2019Sep13.2240.362
2019Oct13.5670.217
2019Nov12.2360.211
2019Dec10.8660.31
2020Jan9.2060.284
2020Feb7.7290.229
2020Mar6.3490.22
2020Apr7.4870.263
2020May9.0340.345
2020Jun10.480.298
2020Jul11.3050.309
2020Aug11.9820.333
2020Sep13.4590.171
2020Oct13.120.302
2020Nov12.6560.287
2020Dec10.7040.363
2021Jan6.7570.285
2021Feb4.4620.117
2021Mar3.3380.178
2021Apr2.640.261
2021May3.0430.16
2021Jun4.3360.268
2021Jul5.5640.222
2021Aug7.0970.248
2021Sep8.6180.268
2021Oct8.560.243
2021Nov7.6220.196
2021Dec4.7830.235
2022Jan3.920.068
2022Feb3.1180.163
2022Mar2.9670.208
2022Apr3.8750.17
2022May5.6790.289
2022Jun7.5890.243
2022Jul9.4540.259
2022Aug10.970.277
2022Sep12.8570.394
2022Oct12.8640.385
2022Nov12.420.428
2022Dec10.8110.305