Market Trends of Netherlands Offshore Oil and Gas Decommissioning Industry
Shallow Water Expected to Dominate the Market
- As per the Netherlands' government, the depth of the water bed from the surface below 50 meters is considered to be shallow water. In the last century, many fields discovered when the technology to drill a deepwater well was not present are becoming mature and coming to their end-life. Most of these fields are in shallow water, which makes this segment the largest in the market.
- Moreover, there are many challenges to the safe and efficient decommissioning of aging oil and gas infrastructure. Given the maturity of many fields, both onshore and offshore, and current low commodity prices, expect a vast increase in decommissioning activity during the forecast period.
- In 2021, the country's total natural gas production was 18.1 billion cubic meters (bcm), which is lower than the production of 20.1 bcm in 2020. The country has been a leader in the production of natural gas for the past half-century. Oil and gas have traditionally been an essential source of revenue, but the recent trends of decreasing gas production are likely to drive the country's offshore oil and gas decommissioning market.
- The country's master plan of decommissioning and reuse, according to which an oil or gas offshore platform or infrastructure, if reusable, can be reused for renewable energy and, if not, is likely going to be dismantled. This is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of decommissioning, reducing unnecessary costs while at the same time enhancing quality and safety sustainably.
- Therefore, owing to the above points, the shallow water segment is likely to dominate the Netherlands offshore oil and gas decommissioning market during the forecast period.
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Increasing Renewable Energy Expected to Drive Market
- The Netherlands' energy consumption is expected to increase, and its gas reserves are also running out. Among other things, the country is expected to feel the need to switch to alternative energy sources for transport and heating. So the Dutch central government is taking steps to boost sustainable energy production and find smarter ways of using and saving energy, which is expected to drive the offshore oil and gas decommissioning market in the country.
- In 2022, the total installed capacity of renewable energy sources in the Netherlands' power sector was 32.84 gigawatts (GW), which was higher than the installed capacity of 2021, which was 23.59 GW. Renewable sources contributing to the country's energy generation include hydropower, wind energy, solar energy, biofuels, and energy waste.
- The government sees the business community as a key partner in achieving a low-carbon energy supply. So it is offering incentives like sustainable energy investment grants (ISDE) for heat pumps, solar water heating systems, biomass boilers, and pellet stoves for businesses to invest in sustainable energy.
- Subsidies such as the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy Production (SDE+) allow energy producers to receive financial compensation for the renewable energy they generate. It is not always profitable to produce renewable energy, as the cost is higher than the market price. This price difference is the unprofitable part. SDE+ compensated for the unprofitable component for some years.
Hence, owing to the above points, increasing renewable energy in the country is likely to drive the Dutch offshore oil and gas decommissioning market during the forecast period.
