Summary
Meeting Europe's Natural Gas Demand
With Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and subsequent halting of most pipeline natural gas deliveries to European countries, Europe's vulnerability to supply disruption has posed major security and economic concerns for many European governments and the EU. However, European countries were largely able to overcome the shortfalls in Russian imports because of increased imports by both pipeline and LNG from other suppliers (including from the United States), refilling of gas storage, decreased consumption, and increased renewable generation.
Yamal LNG Arctic LNG2
Norway and the United States are the top two EU natural gas suppliers (50% combined).
Although Russian pipeline gas delivery to Europe has sharply dropped since 2022, Russian LNG exports to Europe have increased.
Gas storage has been a key component of meeting demand and modulating prices for Europe.
The EU receives some Russian gas via Ukraine, but the transit agreement will expire if not renewed at the end of 2024.
Existing Russian Gas Contracts with EU Countries, 2020-2030
Contracted volumes (bcm)
Turkey is the second largest importer of Russian natural gas, but is not an EU member
Annual actual delivery figures may include non-contracted volumes of natural gas purchased from Russia on the spot market
Some contracts go beyond 2030
Russian pipeline gas delivery to the EU decreased by more than 80% from 2021 to 2023.Some EU countries have gas contracts beyond 2030.
Sources of EU Natural Gas Imports 2021 Total Imports: 334 bcm 2022 Total Imports: 334 bcm 2023 Total Imports: 290bcm EU Production: 51 bcm EU Production: 47 bcm EU Production: 39 bcm
Subtotals may differ from totals due to rounding
Abbreviations: European Union (EU), billion cubic meters (bcm), and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Sources: Map created by CRS using data from Midstream Essentials, U.S. Department of State, and ESRI. Russian natural gas contracts data from CEDIGAZ, an energy subscription database. EU natural gas import data from Council of the EU, "Where Does the EU's Gas Come From?" updated March 21, 2024, and Ben McWilliams et al., "European Natural Gas Imports," Bruegel Datasets, updated April 17, 2024. Natural gas storage data from Council of the EU, "Gas Storage Capacity and Filling Level in the EU Member States," updated March 21, 2024, and Cedigaz.
Information prepared by Michael Ratner, Specialist in Energy Policy; Sarah Garding, Analyst in European Affairs; Brion Long, Visual Information Specialist; and Molly Cox, Geospatial Information Systems Analyst on May 10, 2024.