BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Europe’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rose sharply in the third quarter of 2025, supported by strong global supply growth and weaker demand across Asian markets, according to the latest outlook from the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES), Trend reports.
The institute reported that Europe’s LNG imports increased by 8.7 bcm year-on-year, reaching 32.9 bcm, nearly matching levels seen in 2022 and 2023. The rise was made possible by a 7.9 bcm increase in global LNG supply and reduced competition for cargoes from non-European buyers.
Asian demand fell notably, with China’s imports down by 3.0 bcm and overall non-European demand declining by 0.9 Bcm. Import reductions in China, Japan, India, Pakistan, and Thailand - a combined 7.35 bcm drop - were partly offset by gains in South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Bangladesh.
In the Atlantic Basin, LNG imports rose 2.4 bcm, driven largely by Egypt’s 2.63 bcm increase to offset lower domestic gas production during peak summer demand.
The OIES noted that most of Europe’s LNG growth was concentrated in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, which have substantial gas storage capacity. In contrast, imports into the UK and North-Eastern Europe remained flat due to limited storage infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the institute said Europe’s gas demand in the coming months will depend on the pace of storage replenishment and winter temperatures. Longer term, new liquefaction projects in the U.S. and Qatar are expected to reshape global LNG market dynamics toward the late 2020s.
