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Norg
Nation / PlaceNL

Norg

Dutch gas storage facility, 59 TWh working volume; depleted to zero by GasTerra before 1 April 2026 NAM handover.

Last refreshed: 26 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Why was the Netherlands' largest gas storage site completely empty at the start of the 2026 injection season?

Timeline for Norg

#74 May

Depleted to structural zero by GasTerra ahead of NAM handover

European Energy Markets: Bergermeer carries Dutch injection load alone
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Common Questions
What is Norg gas storage and why is it important for the Netherlands?
Norg is the Netherlands' largest underground gas storage facility, with 59 TWh working volume, located in Drenthe province. It was depleted to structural zero by GasTerra before the 1 April 2026 NAM handover, leaving it without carry-in gas at the start of the critical injection season.Source: European-energy-markets reporting
How does Norg being empty affect European gas supply this winter?
Norg at structural zero carry-in means the Netherlands must refill 59 TWh from scratch during the injection season, contributing to the Netherlands holding only 8.95% overall gas storage fill on 25 April, the lowest of any major EU storage nation. With Grijpskerk also at zero, only Bergermeer carried meaningful gas entering the season.Source: European-energy-markets reporting
What is the Norg gas storage facility and how large is it?
Norg is an underground gas storage facility in Drenthe province, northern Netherlands, with a working volume of approximately 59 TWh — the largest single gas storage facility in the Netherlands. It operates as an aquifer storage facility, injecting gas into a natural underground formation.Source: european-energy-markets

Background

Norg is a Dutch underground gas storage facility located in Drenthe province in the northern Netherlands, with a working volume of approximately 59 TWh, making it the largest single gas storage facility in the Netherlands. It operates as an aquifer storage facility, injecting gas into a natural underground formation below the village of Norg. The facility serves as a critical buffer for Dutch and broader north-west European gas supply security.

GasTerra depleted Norg to structural zero capacity ahead of the NAM handover on 1 April 2026, leaving the facility without carry-in gas at the start of the 2026/27 injection season. NAM formally assumed operational responsibility for Norg on that date as part of the Groningen field closure agreement. The depletion means Norg must now be refilled from zero across the 2026 injection season, adding to the pressure on the broader EU storage fill trajectory.

With Norg and its sister facility Grijpskerk both at structural zero on 1 April, Bergermeer became the sole large Dutch injection-capable facility with meaningful carry-in entering the season. The Netherlands had overall gas storage at just 8.95% fill on 25 April 2026, the lowest of any major EU storage nation, with Norg's zero carry-in a principal driver of that deficit.

More questions
Why was Norg depleted to zero before the 2026 injection season?
GasTerra depleted Norg to structural zero carry-in ahead of the NAM handover on 1 April 2026, as part of the Groningen field closure agreement. This Left the facility needing full refill from scratch across the 2026 injection season, contributing to the Netherlands holding only 8.95% storage fill on 25 April — the lowest of any major EU storage nation.Source: european-energy-markets
Who operates Norg gas storage now and who operated it before?
NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij) assumed operational responsibility for Norg from 1 April 2026 as part of the Groningen closure agreement. Previously GasTerra operated the facility and fully depleted it before the handover.Source: european-energy-markets
How does Norg's depletion affect European gas supply security?
With Norg and sister facility Grijpskerk both at zero carry-in entering the 2026/27 injection season, 83 TWh of Dutch working volume must be refilled from scratch. This Left Bergermeer as the sole Dutch site with meaningful carry-in, concentrating Dutch injection risk and dragging the Netherlands to the lowest storage fill in the EU at the start of the 2026 season.Source: european-energy-markets
What is the difference between Norg and Bergermeer gas storage?
Norg (59 TWh, Drenthe province) is an aquifer storage facility now operated by NAM that was depleted to zero in April 2026. Bergermeer (near Alkmaar) is a commercial depleted-field facility with meaningful carry-in entering the season, making it the sole large Dutch injector at the start of the 2026/27 season after Norg and Grijpskerk were emptied.Source: european-energy-markets
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