Dutch Senate approves law to permanently close Groningen gas field

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch Senate on Tuesday approved a law to permanently close the Groningen gas field in the north of the Netherlands, following the government's promise that production will never be resumed to limit seismic risks in the region.

Normal gas production at Groningen in the north of the Netherlands ended last October after years of output cuts to limit seismic activity linked to decades of extraction, that has damaged thousands of buildings.

The gas field, once one of Europe's main suppliers, was available for limited production during a cold snap in recent months, but the government has proposed a law that would close the field entirely by Oct. 1.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Chris Reese)