Economic affairs minister Erik Wiebes has given the green light to test drilling for gas 20 kilometres off the coast of the Wadden Sea island of Schiermonnikoog.

The conditions to carry out test drilling have been met but it could be ‘ a long, long time’ before any gas field is commercially exploited, Wiebes told MPs on Tuesday evening.

The field is thought to contain some five billion cubic metres of gas, enough to supply all Dutch gas needs for three months.

Left-wing MPs oppose the test drilling, saying there is insufficient support on the island itself.

In September, Dutch media reported that a ‘commercially interesting’ gas field had been found in the North Sea, about 20 kilometres above the Frisian island.

A consortium made up of Hansa Hydrocarbons, Oranje-Nassau Energie and Energiebeheer Nederlands (EBN) carried out the initial test drilling and Hansa’s John Martin told the paper that a ‘substantial volume’ had been found.

That field is thought to be much bigger than the new location.