Total gas consumption in the Netherlands stood at 31 billion cubic metres, its lowest level since 1972. While households had reduced their consumption due to the exponential price rises sparked by the war in Ukraine, warmer temperatures also played their part.
    Various oil and chemical companies also reduced their own consumption, with factories that require gas to operate recording a 12% drop on the previous year.
    The Dutch Government had turned to liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a way of compensating for lost Russian gas; the counrty's LNG imports have doubled to over 9 billion cubic metres in 2022, partly due to the opening of an LNG terminal off Eemshaven.