Europe's net liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports were up by 19.5 percent to 7.5 million tonnes in 2017, compared to the previous year, according to the latest annual report of the International Group of LNG Importers (GIIGNL).
GIIGNL said Europe's demand was mainly driven by demand for power generation.
The report noted that a combination of low hydropower, low nuclear production in France and hot weather in the summer led to the 9.1 million tonnes increase in southern Europe countries - France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.
GIIGNL said in contrast, net imports to northern countries Belgium, the Netherlands and the U.K. declined by 2.1 million tonnes.
'The decline is attributable to the U.K. which experienced a sharp drop in LNG intake due to the reduction of deliveries from Qatar,' the report read.
'Despite the increase in imports in 2017, Europe’s share of global LNG imports has fallen by nearly 50 percent since 2010 mainly due to a decline in gas demand and to competition from pipeline imports,' it explained.
The European Union's (EU) natural gas demand increased by 6 percent to 491 billion cubic meters (bcm) while production fell by 3 percent to 128 bcm in 2017 compared to 2016.
Russia remains the EU's top supplier via pipelines, covering 43 percent of total supplies, followed by Norway with 34 percent and LNG imports with 12 percent.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr