Former employee Kor Leegte is 96 years old and has warm memories of his time at the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM). The departure of NAM from Assen at the end of this year marks the end of an era for a company that was much more than an ordinary employer.
Jealous looks
Leegte was a chief in the topography department: “When you build something, you want to put it on a map, and that’s what I did.” Working at NAM at that time brought with it a certain status, as Leegte also knows, who started there in 1973: “There were jealous looks from people who had not been given a place at NAM.”
Leegte worked at NAM during its glory days: “It had become a very rich company due to the discovery of the gas field in Groningen.” At that time, people regularly turned to NAM for support for projects: “People wanted to be helped by NAM with subsidies.”
When the NAM came to Assen in 1967, the city changed. Complete residential areas were built, an international school for foreign employees and their families was established and dozens of associations were established. “You couldn’t imagine it so crazy: you could sail, play football, tennis, bridge and much more,” says Leegte, whose wife is co-founder of the NAMateurs theater association.
Elly Leegte was involved with the NAMateurs for 32 years: “There were people of all nationalities.” The Scottish native found her joy on stage: “I did directing, music and played roles from Dracula to Queen Elizabeth.” The NAM supported the theater group: “We were spoiled by the NAM.” The association took the stage for the last time in 2016: “There were no longer enough people, many left.”
The downside of gas extraction later became visible, in 1986 there was a first earthquake near Assen: “Those earthquakes were really not anticipated, but the subsidence was,” says Leegte, who retired in 1987. According to him, a maximum subsidence of 45 centimeters was taken into account at the time. “Money was immediately set aside for this subsidence. This included the construction of a new port in Delfzijl.”
Leegte calls the departure of NAM: “A shame, but inevitable.” With the departure of the NAM, a piece of history will soon disappear from Assen. “It is the fate of every oil company,” concludes Leegte: “It comes and it goes.”
