AMSTERDAM, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The Dutch cabinet is meetingto discuss whether to cut production at the huge Groningen gasfield, a spokesman for Economics Minister Henk Kamp said onFriday, and a decision may be announced as soon as thisafternoon.
The gas field near Slochteren in the north of the country isone of the world's largest, operated by a joint venture betweenRoyal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil calledNederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV (NAM).
Discovered in 1959, the Groningen gas field produced 53.8billion cubic meters in 2013 and was expected to continue topump natural gas for at least another 50 years.
Local media, citing anonymous sources, said the cabinet wasconsidering slashing production to 42.5 billion cubic metersthis year and next, representing a cut of 21 percent compared to2013.
Local residents and some politicians have called for a haltor review of gas extraction in Groningen province following aseries of earth tremors, some of which cracked buildings.
The Netherlands earns about 12 billion euros ($16.3 billion)a year from the sale of gas from Groningen, according to thefinance ministry.
