This article was originally published on English
French imports of Russian liquefied natural gas are increasing. Ukraine’s supporters are trying to slow this development.
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New analysis of trade data shows that deliveries of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to France more than doubled in the first half of 2024. This development affects not only France, but also several other member states of the European Union.
An analysis found that European Union member states imported a total of seven percent more Russian LNG in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. The largest share of Russian liquefied natural gas was imported by French companies.
At the same time, Europe wants to become independent of Russian energy sources. To prevent Russia from continuing its war of aggression in Ukraine, the EU has restricted oil imports from Russia, but imports of liquefied natural gas by sea are still permitted.
Exit from fossil fuels in Russia at risk
Oleh Savytskyi is the founder of the non-profit organization Razom We Stand, which advocates for tougher sanctions on Russian fossil fuels. He says the EU’s goal of eliminating all Russian fossil fuels by 2027 has “gone horribly off track.” In his view, countries buying Russian LNG are sabotaging the continent’s energy transition. Moreover, the billions of dollars are adding to Russia’s war chest, Savytskyi said.
European governments have said that a complete ban on Russian gas imports would increase energy and heating costs and that industrial gas users would also suffer.
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a US non-profit organisation that aims to accelerate the global transition to a more sustainable energy supply, was the first to conclude that LNG imports in Europe have increased. The IEEFA examined data from Kpler, a shipping data provider, and ICIS, a commodity data provider, both of which also presented their own analyses.
According to IEEFA, French companies imported nearly 4.4 billion cubic meters of Russian LNG in the first half of 2024, compared to more than 2 billion cubic meters in the same period last year. Europe’s second-largest importer, Spain, saw an increase of one percent. But Belgium, Europe’s third-largest importer, bought 16 percent less liquefied natural gas from Russia.
French energy giant imports the most
French energy giant TotalEnergies, which imported the most LNG from Russia between January and June, according to AP, said it was bound by contracts signed before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The French Ministry of Finance and Economy also told the AP that the attacks by Houthi rebels on ships sailing through the Suez Canal have led to a restructuring of LNG imports: Liquefied natural gas can no longer be transported easily to Europe from the Middle East, while the Russian Arctic route has not been affected.
The ministry pointed out that France is one of the most important entry points for LNG in Europe. France and Spain have the most LNG terminals in Europe, with seven terminals each.
Less liquefied natural gas from the USA
At the same time, France imported less LNG from other suppliers, including the USA, Angola, Cameroon, Egypt and Nigeria. According to the analysis, this decline is roughly equivalent to the increase in imports of Russian liquefied natural gas. None of these countries’ LNG exports were affected by the attacks in the Red Sea.
Price data for Russian LNG is not public, but it is believed to typically be sold at a small discount because some buyers don’t want it, says Jason Feer, global head of business intelligence at energy consultant Poten and Partners.
However, the additional gas is not used by French households or the country’s industry. Demand in France fell by nine percent in the first half of this year compared to last year. At the same time, France’s natural gas exports via pipelines to Belgium rose by almost ten percent in the first six months, according to Kpler. It is not possible to say what proportion of this is Russian LNG. Nevertheless, the data shows that money is being made from this trade, says Feer.
TotalEnergies involved in Russia’s LNG project
Russia’s largest LNG plant is located on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic Circle. TotalEnergies has a 20 percent stake in the joint venture there. As part of a contract signed in 2018, France’s energy giant has committed to purchasing 4 million tons of gas from there every year.
TotalEnergies said by email that the company is legally obliged to honour its contracts and will do so “as long as European governments consider Russian gas necessary for the security of supply to the European Union”.
Only if new sanctions were imposed could the purchases be suspended, the company said in its response. TotalEnergies stated that its imports of Russian LNG to Europe had declined during the period under review.
A spokesman for the EU Commission, Adalbert Jahnz, also stated that imports of Russian liquefied natural gas into the EU had fallen significantly between 2021 and 2023. A temporary increase in volume “does not call into question the EU’s achievements over the past two years,” said Jahnz. “We have diversified our imports and most of the gas we need is supplied by reliable partners such as Norway and the USA.”
However, Savytskyi of Razom We Stand called on the EU to impose a complete embargo on the commodity. TotalEnergies “should not have a free pass to make Europe dependent on Russian gas,” he said.
