LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – During the second quarter of 2026, European Union petroleum oil imports experienced a 55.8% increase in value, despite volumes remaining relatively stable. Eurostat indicated that the import volume reached 36.7 million tonnes, reflecting a 1.2% rise from the monthly average recorded in 2025. These figures highlight a significant rise in import value without a corresponding increase in physical oil quantities. The data pertains to crude petroleum oils imported into the EU from non-member countries.
Natural gas in liquefied form followed a different pattern during the same period. EU LNG import value increased by 4.1%, while import volume declined by 5.6% compared to the 2025 monthly average. In contrast, natural gas imports in gaseous form saw growth in both categories, with their value rising by 18.5% and volume increasing by 3.4%. These observations reveal that the three primary energy import types shifted at varying rates in terms of value and physical quantity during the quarter.
In the second quarter, the United States supplied 18.8% of EU petroleum oil imports, making it the leading supplier. Norway provided 14.3%, while Kazakhstan accounted for 13.4%. Collectively, these three nations contributed 46.5% of the bloc’s petroleum oil imports during this period. When it comes to natural gas categories, the rankings among suppliers differ, with the United States leading LNG shipments and Norway holding the largest share of gaseous natural gas imports.
United States Dominates EU LNG Supply
In the second quarter of 2026, the United States supplied 63.2% of the EU’s liquefied natural gas imports. Russia followed with 17.3%, and Algeria contributed 8.1%. These three providers together accounted for 88.6% of the LNG imports during this period. This concentration was notably higher than in petroleum oil, where the top three suppliers accounted for less than half of the imports. The percentages represent each supplier’s share of the EU’s imports for the respective energy type.
For gaseous natural gas, Norway was the main supplier, providing 51.2% of EU imports in gaseous form during the quarter. Algeria ranked second with 18.2%, while the United Kingdom supplied 11.1%. Russia’s share stood at 10.2%, placing it behind the UK in this category. The quarterly figures from Eurostat, based on Comext trade data and statistical estimates, cover crude petroleum oils, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas transported in gaseous form.
Oil Import Values Recover After 2025 Drop
The rise in oil import value during the second quarter follows a year marked by declines in both volume and value for EU petroleum oil imports. In 2025, the value of petroleum oil imports decreased by 17.8% from 2024, while physical volume dropped by 6.1%. Across all energy types, the EU imported €336.7 billion worth of energy in 2025, with a total volume of 723.3 million tonnes. During that year, total energy import value fell by 11.1%, and overall volume decreased slightly by 0.6%. These annual figures account for energy imports from outside the EU.
A longer-term comparison indicates that energy import totals in the EU remained below the levels recorded in 2022. In that year, energy imports were valued at €693.4 billion, with a volume reaching 849.6 million tonnes. By 2025, both values had fallen by 51.4% and 14.9%, respectively, from those 2022 figures. Consequently, the oil import figures in Q2 2026 represent a notable increase in value compared to the 2025 monthly benchmark, even though physical volumes stayed close to that reference point.