LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In the second quarter of 2026, European Union experienced a 55.8% surge in the monetary worth of petroleum oil imports, despite minimal change in the quantities brought in. According to Eurostat, the import volume reached 36.7 million tonnes, which is a 1.2% increase compared to the monthly average recorded in 2025. These data points highlight a notable rise in import value without a corresponding increase in physical oil deliveries. The figures specifically pertain to crude petroleum oils entering the EU from nations outside the bloc.
During the same period, liquefied natural gas (LNG) followed a different trajectory. The EU LNG import value increased by 4.1%, while import volume declined by 5.6% from the 2025 monthly average. Conversely, natural gas in gaseous form experienced growth in both metrics. Its value rose by 18.5%, and the volume increased by 3.4%. These contrasting results demonstrate that the three main energy import categories exhibited varying rates of change in terms of value and physical volume during the quarter.
In terms of origin, the United States supplied 18.8% of the EU’s petroleum oil imports in the second quarter, establishing it as the leading supplier. Norway provided 14.3%, while Kazakhstan contributed 13.4%. Collectively, these three nations accounted for 46.5% of the bloc’s petroleum oil imports in this period. When examining natural gas imports, the rankings differed. The United States led in LNG shipments, whereas Norway held the dominant share of gaseous natural gas imports.
United States Dominates EU LNG Imports
During Q2 2026, the United States was responsible for 63.2% of the EU’s liquefied natural gas imports. Russia supplied 17.3%, with Algeria providing 8.1%. These three suppliers together made up 88.6% of the total LNG imports during the quarter. This concentration was notably higher than in petroleum oil, where the three top suppliers accounted for less than half of all imports. The percentages reflect each partner’s share of the EU’s imports for that specific energy product.
For gaseous natural gas, Norway accounted for 51.2% of the EU’s imports in the same period. Algeria ranked second with 18.2%, followed by the United Kingdom at 11.1%. Russia contributed 10.2%, positioning it behind the United Kingdom in this segment. The quarterly figures, compiled by Eurostat from Comext trade data and statistical estimates, encompass imports of crude petroleum oils, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas transported in gaseous form.
Oil Import Value Rebounds After 2025 Decline
This rise in the second quarter follows a year in which EU petroleum oil imports experienced declines in both value and volume. In 2025, the import value dropped by 17.8% compared to 2024, while the volume decreased by 6.1%. Overall, the EU’s energy imports in 2025 amounted to €336.7 billion, covering 723.3 million tonnes. During that year, the total value of energy imports fell by 11.1%, and the volume declined slightly by 0.6%. These annual figures represent energy imports from outside the EU.
Looking at a longer-term comparison, energy import totals in the EU remained below those recorded in 2022. In that year, energy imports were valued at €693.4 billion with a volume of 849.6 million tonnes. By 2025, both the value and volume had fallen by 51.4% and 14.9%, respectively. The oil figures for the second quarter of 2026, therefore, indicate a significant increase in import value compared to the 2025 monthly average, while physical volumes stayed near that benchmark level.