BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 24. According to the latest Gas Market Report by the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), the European Union’s pipeline gas (PNG) imports declined in September 2025 amid seasonal maintenance and reduced flows from key suppliers, Trend reports.
EU countries imported 9.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of pipeline gas during the month - an 11% year-on-year and 23% month-on-month decrease. The decline was primarily driven by planned maintenance in Norway, which carries out annual shutdowns, as well as upstream maintenance in Algeria and compressor works in Tunisia, one of Algeria’s main transit routes to Italy.
Despite the overall drop, Azerbaijan and Libya recorded increases in their exports to the EU compared to the previous month. Over the first nine months of 2025, the EU’s cumulative pipeline gas imports totaled 106 bcm, marking a 9% annual decline. Norway remained the bloc’s largest supplier, accounting for around 60% of imports, while Algeria’s share rose to 21%.
In September, Azerbaijan was the only supplier to record year-on-year growth, underscoring its role as a stable and expanding source of gas to Europe. Among EU member states, Poland registered the strongest growth in imports, up 20% year-on-year — the largest rate among all entry points. Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, and Ireland also reported annual increases.
France surpassed Belgium in total pipeline gas imports for 2025, though both countries saw curtailed supplies due to the Norwegian maintenance schedule. Meanwhile, Russia increased gas flows through the TurkStream pipeline by 7% year-on-year, while net gas flows from the UK to mainland Europe reached 6.1 bcm, up 5% from a year earlier.
Globally, total pipeline gas imports during January–September 2025 were estimated at 460 bcm, up 2% year-on-year. The largest increases were recorded in China, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and the United States, while Eurasia continued to drive global PNG exports, which rose 8% year-on-year, with intra-North American flows also climbing 3%.
