LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell saidon Thursday it would write down its reserves in the Groningengas field, one of Europe's largest, following the Dutchgovernment's decision to phase out production by2030.
The Anglo-Dutch company holds a 50 percent stake in thefield, which has seen production reduced in recent yearsfollowing a series of damaging earthquakes.
Shell said it expects to write off an estimated 0.5 to 0.65billion barrels of oil equivalent in 2018.
Shell also took an impairment of $244 million in the firstquarter as a result of the government's decision.
Gas company NAM is a joint venture of Shell and Exxon Mobilthat runs the field.
(Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by Dale Hudson)