BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr.12
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
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, Trend reports citing the European Commission.
Net imports in different EU countries showed a high variation in Q4 2020, ranging from a decrease of 55 percent (0.5 bcm) in Romania to an increase of 77 percent (0.2 bcm) in Sweden in year-on-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.
According to ENTSO-G data, net imports amounted to 914 TWh in the fourth quarter of 2020, of which 82% through pipelines and 18 percent through LNG terminals. Pipeline gas imports from Russia, though to a lesser extent than in the previous quarters, fell significantly, by 8 percent in year-on-year comparison, as gas transit through the Ukrainian route still showed a significant drop year-onyear. Imports from Norway were slightly down, by 2 percent in Q4 2020 in year-on-year comparison. Pipeline gas imports from Algeria, continuing the trend of the previous quarter, rose by 37 percent in Q4 2020. Pipeline gas imports from Libya fell further, by 26 percent year-on-year. At the same time, LNG imports, decreased by 27 percent year-on-year (after going down by 13 percent on the previous quarter), and reached 161 TWh in Q4 2020.
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