Abstract Following a time of expansion of the oil industry, the period 1987-2012 and especially the second half of it reflects a diversification of exploration activities in the Netherlands. In addition to the ongoing discovery of classical hydrocarbon reservoirs, successful attempts have been made to explore deep geothermal energy. Shale gas and Coal Bed Methane received interest in the Netherlands too but so far no wells have been drilled in order to test the potential. Storage of gas and liquids has been introduced and salt mining more or less continued without many changes. In terms of drilling activity, the last 25 years show a decreasing trend and the discovered volumes are smaller. Testing of new play concepts was either successful (shallow gas) or not (Dinantian) and sometimes an unexpected discovery was made (Triassic Fat Sands). New techniques proved older fields to be exploitable again, e.g. redevelopment of the Schoonebeek Field. Therefore, despite a decline in number of wells drilled and reserves added, the diversification of use of the subsurface will guarantee ongoing exploration.