BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 6. Russia remained a key supplier of natural gas to the EU in the third quarter of 2024, accounting for 20% of the bloc’s total gas imports, or 12.7 bcm, Trend reports.
According to the latest data from the European Commission, this included 8.4 bcm of pipeline gas and 4.3 bcm of LNG, each representing 20% of their respective categories of imports.
Pipeline gas imports from Russia showed a notable increase, rising 12% compared to the second quarter of 2024, when volumes stood at 7.6 bcm, and up 20% year-on-year from 7 bcm in the same period of 2023. Conversely, LNG supplies from Russia dropped by 12% compared to the second quarter of 2024 but grew by 27% year-on-year.
Despite the decline in LNG volumes, Russia’s share of EU LNG imports rose slightly, from 19% in the second quarter of 2024 to 20% in the third quarter. This increase reflects a broader drop in overall EU LNG imports, which fell by 16% compared to the previous quarter. Year-on-year, Russia’s share of EU LNG imports grew significantly, rising from 12% in the third quarter of 2023.
Pipeline gas remained the dominant mode of Russian gas exports to the EU, comprising 66% of total exports in the third quarter of 2024. This marks an increase from 61% in the second quarter but a slight decline from 68% in the same quarter of 2023. LNG made up the remaining 34% of Russian gas deliveries to the EU.
While Russian gas volumes have shown modest growth in 2024 compared to the record lows of 2023, they remain significantly below pre-crisis levels. Overall, imports from Russia are still 64% lower than in 2021, reflecting the ongoing shift in Europe’s energy landscape.
