EIA: Europe´s dependence on gas imports jump to 80 % in 2020 from 65 % in 2010

Washington, February 14 - Neftegaz.RU. Imports of natural gas by both pipeline and as LNG provided more than 80% of the supply of natural gas to the countries of the EU-27 and the UK in 2020, up from 65% a decade earlier, the EIA analysed.

During 2020, gas imported into the region by pipeline made up 74% of all gas imports and LNG accounted for the remaining 26% of total imports.
Pipeline imports of gas into the region come from Russia, Norway, North Africa, and Azerbaijan.

Pipeline imports originating in Russia - the largest supplier in the region - grew from about 11 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2010 to more than 13 Bcf/d in 2020 (a low consumption year due to COVID-19 related impacts).

Despite construction of new pipelines, imports from Norway averaged around 9 Bcf/d between 2010 and 2020, as development of new fields in the Barents Sea section of the Norwegian offshore Continental Shelf was insufficient to offset declines from mature fields in the North Sea.

Although LNG imports made up about 26% of all gas imports, they provided about 20% of all of the gas supplied to the EU and the UK in 2020.
LNG imports tend to fluctuate from year to year - from as low as 3.6 Bcf/d in 2014 to as high as 10.1 Bcf/d in 2019 - depending on global gas prices, demand driven by cold weather, and the availability of pipeline supplies.

Most LNG delivered to Europe is supplied through long-term contracts.
However, growing volumes of flexible LNG supplies, primarily from the U.S., contributed to the notable increases in LNG imports to Europe from 2019 to 2021.

From 2010 through 2020, gas production in the EU and the UK declined by more than 50%, from 18 Bcf/d in 2010 to 9 Bcf/d in 2020.

Natural gas consumed by the European industrial sector, where fuel switching is difficult, remained nearly unchanged, averaging 13.7 Bcf/d throughout the 2010–2020 period.