LNG News Editor:
UK LNG imports increased by nearly 50 percent as the country's regasification infrastructure was used to increase natural gas supplies to Europe after the February invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the start of Western sanctions.
The latest data in the “Energy Trends” publication from the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy showed that the UK played a crucial key role in supplying gas to Europe from the first quarter of 2022.
Highest in 10 years
“LNG imports increased to reach the highest level recorded in over a decade,” said the report.
It noted that the UK operates the second-largest LNG regasification infrastructure in Europe, with the largest being in Spain.
“The UK has acted as a gateway for gas to enter European pipeline systems and meet demand, as countries moved away from importing Russian gas,” explained the report.
“The USA provided the largest source of LNG imports, reaching a record high and more than doubling that imported in the first quarter of 2021,” the report added.
Conversely, LNG from Russia dropped by 68 percent compared with the first quarter of last year as the UK also looked at phasing out Russian imports.
UK Gas exports “substantially” increased in the first three months of 2022 and regasification infrastructure was used to boost supplies to the European Union on pipeline links to the Continent.
“Exports more than doubled, driven by a rise in pipeline exports to Belgium and the Netherlands,” explained the report.
“As these interconnectors are bidirectional, their increased utilisation for exports led to a corresponding fall in imports,” it added.
“This resulted in an 11 percent reduction in total imports to the UK, and a 22 percent fall in net imports,” stated the report.
The UK report noted that the nation’s demand for natural gas fell by 12 percent in the first quarter in comparison with the first three months of last year.
“This reduction was largely driven by falls in gas used for domestic and electricity generation purposes,” said the report.
“Domestic consumption fell by 17 percent, due to warmer average temperatures reducing the need for domestic heating, and the removal of most Covid-19 restrictions,” it explained.
“Gas used for electricity generation fell by 15 percent, due to increased availability of renewable sources,” it added.
UK gas output
The UK’s gross natural gas production increased in the first quarter and was up 5 percent on the previous year.
This reflected a partial recovery in production following substantial maintenance in 2021 but remained lower than pre-pandemic levels.
“Maintenance shut down key infrastructure, including the Forties Pipeline System. In addition delayed maintenance in 2020 due to restrictions to curb the Covid-19 pandemic was able to take place,” added the report.
