In 1959, after eleven years of test-drilling, a Dutch oil company finally hit natural gas in the province of Groningen. Fortnight ago they were allowed to tap the fields.

In 1959, after eleven years of test-drilling, a Dutch oil company jointly owned by Shell and Jersey Standard finally hit natural gas under the muddy reclaimed soil of The Netherlands’ north eastern province of Groningen. How big the fields were neither the oilmen nor the government ever felt moved to…