"We are ready to move to the next phase of implementing Europe's first large-scale hydrogen plant," Nouryon's head of industrial chemicals, Knut Schwalenberg, said.

Dutch Groningen gas production in August was down 6% on the year but up 6% from to 1.26 Bcm, according to data from operator NAM.

A 3.4 magnitude earthquake prompted the Dutch government last year to promise to end Groningen production by 2030 and to lower output as quickly as possible in the coming years.

The EU has long worked to diversify from relying on Russia for almost 40 percent of its gas needs by developing LNG infrastructure to access other suppliers. Qatar and Australia are other major LNG suppliers.

IMF - The Dutch economy has performed very well in recent years. Growth is estimated at 2.6 percent in the 2018, owing to strong domestic demand and robust net exports.

SHELL - Compared with the fourth quarter 2017, CCS earnings attributable to shareholders excluding identified items of $5.7 billion mainly benefited from higher realised oil, gas and LNG prices as well as stronger contributions from crude oil and LNG trading, partly offset by movements in deferred tax positions. Full year earnings of $21.4 billion also reflected higher realised oil, gas and LNG prices, partly offset by movements in deferred tax positions.

SHELL - Royal Dutch Shell plc (the ‘company’) announces the commencement of trading in the third tranche of its share buyback programme previously announced on July 26, 2018. In the third tranche, the company has entered into an irrevocable, non-discretionary arrangement with a broker to enable the purchase of A ordinary shares and/or B ordinary shares for a period up to and including April 29, 2019.

REUTERS - Gas production at the earthquake-prone Groningen field will drop by at least 75 percent in the next five years, ahead of schedule towards the projected end of extraction.

SHELL - CCS earnings attributable to shareholders excluding identified items were $4.3 billion for the fourth quarter 2017 and $15.8 billion for the full year 2017, reflecting increased contributions from all businesses, compared with 2016. Full year earnings benefited mainly from higher realised oil, gas and LNG prices, improved refining performance and higher production from new fields, which offset the impact of field declines and divestments.

Compared with the third quarter 2016, CCS earnings attributable to shareholders excluding identified items increased to $4.1 billion, reflecting higher contributions from Downstream, Upstream and Integrated Gas. Earnings benefited mainly from stronger refining and chemicals industry conditions, increased realised oil and gas prices and higher production from new fields, offsetting the impact of field declines and divestments.