Parent company
In 1896 a group of leading Dutch coal importers founded the Steenkolen Handels Vereeniging NV (Coal Trading Association), which was a merger between a number of large coal trading companies, some of which had been active since the 18th century.


Today SHV's activities involve :

• trade and distribution in LPG (SHV Gas)
• trade in food and non food consumer articles (Makro)
• provision of venture capital (NPM Capital) 
• exploration and production of oil and gas (Dyas)
  

For further detailed information on SHV Holdings NV, please see www.SHV.nl. 

Name
The name Dyas is derived from the Greek  "duas". In geology it means "two formations" and in Europe, the name Dyas was given to the rocks of the Permian period some 250 million years ago. These rocks may be divided in two different layers: the Zechstein formation (mostly salt, which provides an effective seal to trap natural gas) and the underlying Rotliegendes sandstones (which can be good reservoir rocks).  These rocks of the Permian period formed the principal target for exploration of natural gas by Dyas in the early 1960's.

History
In 1959 a huge natural gas discovery was made near Slochteren, in the northern part of the Netherlands. The discovery of the Groningen Field triggered a transformation of energy markets in North-West Europe and commensurate a diversification process within the Steenkolen Handels Vereeniging. 

In 1963 Dyas,  as 100 % SHV subsidiary, was one of the first companies in the Netherlands to become actively involved in the exploration for hydrocarbons. A consortium was formed with Amoco (now Taqa) and Gelsenbergen Kohl. (later Veba, now PetroCanada).  In 1964 this group discovered gas in its first exploration well onshore, north of Amsterdam in the Bergen Concession, followed by successful further exploration of the surrounding area.

The Bergen Concession delivered its first gas in 1972. Thereafter the offshore K10 area was developed by the Noordwinning-group, with first gas production in 1983. Oil was found and produced from the P15 block Rijn field in 1986. As a direct result of the less favourable 1976 legislation changes, areas outside of The Netherlands were targeted by Dyas. The subsidiary Dyas UK Ltd was formed, which successfully made bids for UK exploration licenses and acquired Brae field equity in 1986. In 1988 Dyas UK merged with a subsidiary of the Calor Group to form Acre Oil, which shortly after floatation on the London Stock Exchange, was acquired by British Gas. In 1987 natural gas was found and successfully developed from the Dutch P15 and P18 blocks, with Dyas increasing its equity in these blocks in 1991 through the acquisition of a Pacific Enterprise subsidiary, together with Oranje Nassau.. In 1992 Dyas acquired the Chevron NL interests in the blocks P6 and Q8, together with the onshore Waalwijk concession. The Dyas interests in the P blocks were further increased in 1995 when, together with Clyde Petroleum - now Wintershall - the Mobil P4, P6, P8 and P12 equity was purchased. Early 1996 the Dutch BHP interests were acquired in Q10, F12 and K4/K5, substantially boosting the Dyas natural gas reserves. Onshore in 1997  the Alkmaar Peak Gas Installation came into service. At he end of the 90's interests were acquired in F15 and the F2a Hanze oil field.

The year 2000 marked the re entry into the UK sector, with the acquisition of the Shell UK interest in the Total operated HP/HT Elgin and Franklin development, 50/50 with Oranje Nassau Energie. Subsequent acquisitions were: in 2003 Holland Sea Search, with equity in Markham Unit, J3-C and the P blocks; in 2004 NAM's equity in the to be developed shallow gas reservoir in the A&B blocks, together with operator Unocal and finally 8% in the UK sector Broom oil field from the Houston based Challenger Minerals Inc.

In 2005 Edinburgh Oil & Gas was acquired 50/50 with Oranje Nassau Energie which was mainly consisting of a stake in the Buzzard Field development. Also in 2005 equity in the UK side of the Enoch Unit was acquired from Total UK.

For over 40 years, Dyas has been an active non- operating partner, presently joint venturing with eleven different operators in more than twentyfive production and exploration licenses, both on- and offshore the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.