LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – European Union saw a 55.8% jump in the monetary worth of petroleum oil imports during the second quarter of 2026, despite little change in the quantities brought in. According to Eurostat, the total import volume reached 36.7 million tonnes, reflecting a 1.2% increase compared to the monthly average recorded in 2025. These figures highlight a significant rise in import value without a corresponding increase in physical oil shipments. The data pertain specifically to crude petroleum oils arriving into the EU from nations outside the bloc.
During the same quarter, liquefied natural gas (LNG) exhibited a different pattern. EU LNG import value rose by 4.1%, while the volume decreased by 5.6% compared to the 2025 monthly average. Meanwhile, imports of natural gas in gaseous form grew in both measures: their value increased by 18.5%, and volume went up by 3.4%. The data demonstrate that the three main categories of energy imports experienced varying rates of change in both value and physical quantities over the quarter.
In the second quarter, the United States supplied 18.8% of the EU’s petroleum oil imports, making it the top source. Norway accounted for 14.3%, and Kazakhstan provided 13.4%. Collectively, these three countries represented 46.5% of the bloc’s petroleum oil imports during this period. When it comes to natural gas, the supplier rankings differed: the United States led LNG shipments, while Norway held the largest share of gaseous natural gas imports.
United States dominates EU LNG supplies
In the second quarter of 2026, the United States supplied 63.2% of the EU’s liquefied natural gas imports. Russia contributed 17.3%, and Algeria accounted for 8.1%. These three suppliers together made up 88.6% of LNG imports during the period. This concentration was higher than for petroleum oil, where the top three suppliers held less than half of the total imports. The figures indicate each partner’s share of EU imports for the specific energy product.
For natural gas in gaseous form, Norway supplied 51.2% of the EU’s imports during the quarter. Algeria was the second-largest supplier with 18.2%, followed by the United Kingdom at 11.1%. Russia provided 10.2%, placing it behind the United Kingdom in that category. The quarterly data, compiled from Comext trade statistics and estimates by Eurostat, cover crude petroleum oils, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas transported in gaseous form.
Q2 oil import value rebounds after 2025 decline
European Union experienced a decline in both value and volume of petroleum oil imports in 2025. Specifically, in 2025, the value of petroleum oil imports fell by 17.8% compared to 2024, and volume decreased by 6.1%. Overall, the EU imported energy worth €336.7 billion in 2025, totaling 723.3 million tonnes. During that year, the total energy import value dropped by 11.1%, and overall volume declined by 0.6%. These annual figures encompass energy imports from outside the EU.
Looking at a longer-term comparison, energy import totals for the EU remained below the levels seen in 2022. In 2022, energy imports were valued at €693.4 billion, with volume reaching 849.6 million tonnes. By 2025, the import value had decreased by 51.4%, and volume had fallen by 14.9%. Consequently, the second quarter of 2026 marked a notable increase in import value relative to the 2025 monthly average, while physical volumes stayed close to that benchmark.
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