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EU gas production falls amid rising gas consumption

Oil&Gas Materials 9 April 2021 16:32 (UTC +04:00)
EU gas production falls amid rising gas consumption

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr.9

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

In the fourth quarter of 2020 EU gas production reached approximately 13.7 bcm, 15 percent (2.4 bcm) less than in the same quarter of 2019, Trend reports citing the European Commission.

During the whole Q4 2020, similarly to the previous three quarters, gas output was below the 2015-2019 range, reflecting the dwindling trend of gas production in the EU. Over the last seven years, total EU gas production in Q4 2020 was the second lowest quarterly figure.

According to Eurostat, net gas imports in the EU decreased by 9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 (year-on-year), even if gas consumption rose slightly and domestic production in the EU fell again. Net imports in different EU countries showed a high variation in Q4 2020, ranging from a decrease of 55% (0.5 bcm) in Romania to an increase of 77 percent (0.2 bcm) in Sweden in yearon-year comparison. Among big gas consumer countries net imports decreased in France (18 percent, by 2.1 bcm), Germany and Spain (13 percent both, and respectively by 3.4 bcm and 1.1 bcm), Belgium (5 percent, by 0.3 bcm), Poland (1 percent, by 0.03 bcm). Net imports in Italy remained practically unchanged, whereas in the Netherlands it rose significantly (by 48 percent, by 1.2 bcm). In Q4 2020, the United Kingdom imported 11.3 bcm of natural gas, 18 percent less (2.4 bcm) than in Q4 2019.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the total net extra-EU gas imports reached 84.1 bcm, down by 9 percent (8.8 bcm) from 92.9 bcm in the same period of 2019. The five biggest importers in the EU were Germany (23 bcm), Italy (16 bcm), France (10 bcm), Spain (8 bcm), and Belgium (5 bcm), representing together almost three quarters of the total EU net gas imports in Q4 2020. In 2020 as whole, total net gas imports in the EU amounted to 326 bcm, down from 358 bcm in 2019. The five biggest net importer countries were: Germany (79 bcm), Italy (66 bcm), France (37 bcm), Spain (31 bcm), and the Netherlands (20 bcm). The United Kingdom imported 32 bcm of natural gas in 2020.

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