LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – During the second quarter of 2026, European Union experienced a 55.8% increase in the monetary value of petroleum oil imports, with the physical volume remaining relatively stable. According to Eurostat, the import volume reached 36.7 million tonnes, representing a 1.2% rise from the monthly average in 2025. These figures indicate a notable rise in import value without a corresponding increase in actual oil quantities delivered, covering crude petroleum oils imported into the EU from countries outside the bloc.
Natural gas in liquefied form followed a different trend within the same period. The EU LNG import value increased by 4.1%, yet the import volume dropped 5.6% compared to the average monthly in 2025. Conversely, gaseous natural gas imports grew in both measures, with their value rising by 18.5% and volume expanding by 3.4%. These data reveal that the three primary energy import categories experienced differing changes in both value and physical quantity during the quarter.
In the second quarter, the United States supplied 18.8% of the EU’s petroleum oil imports, making it the leading source. Norway contributed 14.3%, and Kazakhstan supplied 13.4%. Collectively, these three nations accounted for 46.5% of the EU’s petroleum oil imports in this period. When examining natural gas categories, the supplier rankings varied, with the U.S. leading in LNG shipments and Norway holding the largest share of gaseous natural gas imports.
United States Dominates EU LNG Imports
The US was responsible for 63.2% of the EU’s liquefied natural gas imports in the second quarter of 2026. Russia supplied 17.3%, while Algeria accounted for 8.1%. These three providers together contributed 88.6% of LNG imports during this period. This concentration of supply was notably higher than in petroleum oil, where the three leading suppliers held less than half of the total imports. These figures reflect each partner’s share of the EU’s energy imports for the respective product.
For gaseous natural gas, Norway supplied 51.2% of the EU’s imports during the quarter, with Algeria in second place at 18.2%. The United Kingdom followed at 11.1%, while Russia supplied 10.2%, placing it behind the UK in this category. The quarterly data from Eurostat, sourced from Comext trade data and statistical estimates, cover crude petroleum oils, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas transported in gaseous form.
Oil Import Value Rebounds After 2025 Decline
Following a year marked by declines, the second quarter saw a rebound in the value of EU petroleum oil imports. In 2025, the value dropped by 17.8% from 2024 levels, and the volume decreased by 6.1%. Overall, the EU imported €336.7 billion worth of energy in 2025, amounting to 723.3 million tonnes. The total energy import value fell by 11.1%, with a slight 0.6% decrease in volume across all energy products imported from outside the EU.
Historic comparisons reveal that EU energy imports in 2022 were higher, totaling €693.4 billion with a volume of 849.6 million tonnes. By 2025, both the value and volume had significantly declined—by 51.4% and 14.9%, respectively. The oil figures for the second quarter of 2026 thus indicate a substantial increase in import value relative to the 2025 monthly average, with physical volumes remaining close to that benchmark.