Europe's natural gas production falls 8.2% in 2023

By Murat Temizer

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) reported that Europe's natural gas production declined by 19 billion cubic meters to 214 billion cubic meters last year due to field maintenance.

In the GECF's annual natural gas report for 2024, data disclosed on regional production revealed that Türkiye made significant production progress in the Black Sea.

On a global scale, the report shows that natural gas production increased by 0.8% on an annual basis last year to 4.08 trillion cubic meters. North America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific drove this increase, although gas production declined in Eurasia and Europe.

In Europe, the three main producers—Norway, the Netherlands, and the UK saw production declines of 7 billion cubic meters (bcm), 5.5 bcm and 4.6 bcm, respectively.

These declines were cited in the report as being due to prolonged maintenance and the closure of some mature gas fields.

Norway's gas production fell to 126 bcm in 2023, a decline of 5.3% from the previous year and primarily due to an extended maintenance period at the Troll field, an important offshore production field in the Norwegian North Sea, and at the Kollsnes gas processing plant.

The Troll gas field, in particular, recorded a 15.5% contraction in production that accounted for 33.6 bcm of domestic gas production.

Closer to home, the report’s assessment of Türkiye's natural gas discovery in the Black Sea showed huge strides.

"With the start of gas production from the Sakarya gas field, Turkey has made significant progress in increasing domestic gas supply and has taken an important step towards reducing import dependency and strengthening energy security," the report said.

In Europe, efforts are being made to secure and expand the region's gas production capacity with Romania’s strategic plans to develop large gas fields in the Black Sea.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated on April 19 that efforts are being made to increase natural gas production in the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea, with a targeted increase in daily natural gas production to 5 million cubic meters by May from the current daily output of 3.7 million cubic meters.

LNG, however, has seen declines in imports in Europe and also in Türkiye, which in the latter were due to higher gas production and weaker gas consumption.