LNG imports to EU hit record low in January, stored gas leads supply

- LNG deliveries to continent's gas network drops around 6% in January

The volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) flowing from European terminals into the EU's gas distribution network in January plummeted to its lowest since October 2023, Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data revealed on Friday.

The LNG deliveries to the continent's gas network saw a significant decline in January, dropping to 10.65 billion cubic meters. This represented a 6% fall, both from the previous month and compared to the same month last year, marking the smallest amount recorded since October 2023.

According to data up to Jan. 28 from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), the primary source of gas for Europe in 2024 to date has been withdrawals from underground storage, accounting for 41% of supplies. LNG came in second at 23%, with gas from the North Sea, predominantly Norway, contributing 19%.

Gas imports from the East, including from Russia, gas transiting through Ukraine, and withdrawals by European firms from Ukrainian storage facilities made up 7.2% of the supply. This is more than the gas received from the UK at 2% and North Africa at 6%.

By Sibel Morrow

Anadolu Agency

energy@aa.com.tr