LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – During the second quarter of 2026, European Union petroleum oil imports experienced a significant 55.8% increase in value, despite volumes remaining relatively stable. According to Eurostat, the import volume reached 36.7 million tonnes, which is a 1.2% rise from the monthly average recorded in 2025. The data clearly indicate a sharp climb in import worth without a corresponding increase in physical oil shipments. These figures pertain to crude petroleum oils entering the EU from nations outside the bloc.
In contrast, liquefied natural gas exhibited a different pattern throughout the same period. EU LNG import value increased by 4.1%, while import volume declined by 5.6% compared to the 2025 monthly average. Conversely, natural gas imported in gaseous form saw rises in both measures—its value climbed 18.5%, and its volume increased 3.4%. These results demonstrate that the three key energy import categories experienced varying rates of change in both value and physical quantity during the quarter.
The United States emerged as the leading supplier of petroleum oil to the EU in the second quarter, accounting for 18.8% of total imports. Norway followed with 14.3%, while Kazakhstan supplied 13.4%. Collectively, these three nations contributed 46.5% of the EU’s petroleum oil imports during this period. When it comes to natural gas, the supplier rankings varied across different categories, with the United States dominating 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 provided 17.3%, and Algeria accounted for 8.1%. These three suppliers together represented 88.6% of all LNG imports during the quarter. The level of concentration was notably higher than in petroleum oil, where the top three suppliers held less than half of the market. These figures reflect each supplier’s share of the EU’s energy product imports for the respective categories.
During the same period, Norway supplied 51.2% of the EU’s natural gas in gaseous form. Algeria ranked second with 18.2%, with the United Kingdom coming next at 11.1%. Russia supplied 10.2%, placing it behind the United Kingdom in that category. The quarterly data, compiled by Eurostat from Comext trade data and statistical estimates, cover crude petroleum oils, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas transported in gaseous form.
Increase in Oil Import Value Follows 2025 Decline
The rise in oil import value during Q2 follows a year in which EU petroleum oil imports declined in both volume and worth. In 2025, the value of petroleum oil imports fell by 17.8% from 2024, while the volume decreased by 6.1%. Across all energy categories, the EU imported energy worth €336.7 billion, totaling 723.3 million tonnes. That year, total energy import value dropped 11.1%, and overall volume declined by 0.6%. These annual figures detail energy imports originating outside the EU.
When comparing longer-term trends, the energy import totals for the EU remained below those recorded in 2022. In 2022, energy imports were valued at €693.4 billion with a volume reaching 849.6 million tonnes. By 2025, both the value and volume had fallen significantly—by 51.4% and 14.9%, respectively. The oil figures for the second quarter of 2026 thus represent a notable increase in import value compared to the 2025 monthly baseline, while physical volumes stayed close to that reference level.