BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 20. Russia’s domestic natural gas consumption showed steady growth over the past decade, hitting a record high of 495.60 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2023, Trend reports via the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).
From 2014 to 2023, domestic gas consumption grew by 6.6 percent, increasing from 465.00 bcm in 2014 to 495.60 bcm in 2023. The most significant annual growth occurred in 2021, when consumption surged by 12.1 percent compared to 2020, rising from 460.50 bcm to 516.10 bcm.
However, 2022 marked a slight decline of 5.7 percent, as consumption fell to 486.60 bcm. This trend reversed in 2023, with a 1.8 percent increase bringing the figure to its highest point at 495.60 bcm.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that in 2022, Russia ranked as the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of dry natural gas, the third-largest producer of crude oil and condensate, and the third-largest exporter of coal.
The war in Ukraine, which began in 2022, prompted a wave of international sanctions targeting Russia, including significant restrictions on its energy sector. In May 2023, the G7 countries reaffirmed price caps and export bans on Russian oil and petroleum products. Later, in December 2023, the European Union adopted its 12th package of sanctions, introducing measures to strengthen compliance and limit efforts to circumvent the price caps.
These sanctions accelerated a reorientation of Russian energy trade toward Asia, necessitating a greater reliance on seaborne shipments due to the limited capacity of eastbound rail and pipeline infrastructure.
Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn
