Europe gets its natural gas from a mix of pipeline and ship-based imports, with Norway and the United States as the two dominant suppliers. Norway provides roughly half of all pipeline gas entering the EU, while the U.S. supplies nearly half of all liquefied natural gas (LNG) arriving by tanker. The picture looked very different just a few years ago, when Russia held that top spot.
The Big Picture: Pipeline Gas vs. LNG
Natural gas reaches Europe two ways. The first is through pipelines, which carry gas in its normal gaseous state from nearby producers. The second is LNG, where gas is cooled to a liquid, loaded onto specialized tankers, and shipped from anywhere in the world. Both matter enormously, but they come from different places.
For pipeline gas in 2024, Norway accounted for 45.6% of EU imports, Algeria supplied 19.3%, and Russia contributed 16.6%. By the first half of 2025, Norway’s pipeline share had climbed to 55%, with Algeria steady at 19% and Russia continuing to shrink.
For LNG in 2024, the United States provided 45.3% of EU imports, Russia supplied 17.5%, and Algeria added 10.7%. Qatar and Nigeria rounded out the top five. In raw weight, U.S. LNG shipments to Europe totaled about 29.2 million tonnes in 2024, more than double Russia’s 14.5 million tonnes.
Norway: Europe’s Pipeline Backbone
Norway is by far the single largest gas supplier to Europe. Its offshore fields in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea connect directly to the UK, Germany, Belgium, and France through a network of subsea pipelines. Because these pipelines are short and run through politically stable waters, Norwegian gas is considered the most secure supply Europe has. Norway’s share of pipeline imports has grown steadily since 2021 as Russian volumes collapsed, rising from a large share to an outright majority.
The United States and the LNG Boom
American gas crosses the Atlantic as LNG, arriving at a growing number of receiving terminals along Europe’s coastlines. The U.S. went from a minor player to Europe’s largest LNG supplier in just a few years, filling the gap left by reduced Russian pipeline flows. In dollar terms, U.S. LNG exports to the EU were worth about $16.4 billion in 2024. Europe’s rapid buildout of floating and onshore LNG terminals after 2022 made this shift possible.
North Africa: Algeria and Libya
Algeria is Europe’s second-largest pipeline gas supplier, connected by three undersea pipelines. The Trans-Mediterranean pipeline links Algeria to Sicily via Tunisia, carrying about 21 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2024, well below its 33.5 bcm capacity. The Medgaz pipeline runs directly from Algeria to Spain, which bought 9.4 bcm in 2025. A third route, the 1,600-kilometer Maghreb-Europe pipeline linking Algeria to Spain and Portugal via Morocco, has sat empty since 2021 due to a diplomatic dispute between Algeria and Morocco.
Libya also pipes gas to Italy but at much smaller volumes, accounting for roughly 1% of EU pipeline imports. Between pipeline deliveries and LNG shipments from two export terminals, North Africa remains a meaningful but underutilized source. Algeria’s state energy company has promised to increase flows to Italy, though actual deliveries have so far fallen short of pipeline capacity.
Russia’s Dramatic Decline
The shift away from Russian gas is the defining story of European energy over the past few years. In 2021, Russia supplied around 40% of the EU’s pipeline gas and total imports exceeded 150 bcm. By 2025, Russia’s pipeline share had fallen to about 6%, and total Russian gas reaching Europe (pipeline plus LNG) dropped to roughly 41 bcm.
Several factors drove the decline. The Nord Stream pipelines running under the Baltic Sea to Germany were sabotaged in September 2022 and remain out of service. Ukraine’s transit agreement with Russia, which allowed gas to flow through Ukrainian pipelines to Central Europe, expired at the end of 2024 and was not renewed. What remains of Russian pipeline gas mostly flows through a route crossing Turkey. Russian LNG still arrives at European ports, making up 17.5% of LNG imports in 2024, though several EU member states have pushed for restrictions on those shipments too.
Azerbaijan and the Southern Gas Corridor
Azerbaijan delivers gas to southeastern Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor, a pipeline system that crosses Turkey and enters Greece before branching into Italy and the Balkans. In 2025, Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe totaled 12.9 bcm. That represents about 7% of EU pipeline imports, a share that has grown from 3% in 2021. Azerbaijan has announced plans to begin supplying two additional European countries by 2026, though the volumes remain modest compared to Norway or Algeria.
How Europe Manages Supply Security
Beyond diversifying suppliers, Europe has built a system of underground gas storage to buffer against disruptions. The EU now sets mandatory storage-filling targets, requiring member states with underground facilities to hit minimum levels by specific dates through the year. The goal is to enter each winter with enough reserves to handle cold snaps or sudden supply cuts. These rules were introduced after the 2022 energy crisis and have kept storage levels consistently high heading into recent winters.
Overall EU gas demand has also dropped significantly, falling more than 19% between 2021 and 2024. A combination of milder winters, energy-saving measures, industrial slowdowns, and growing renewable electricity generation all contributed. Lower demand means Europe needs fewer imports to stay supplied, which makes the loss of Russian gas more manageable than it would have been a decade ago.
Where Each Country Fits
- Norway: 55% of pipeline imports (H1 2025), delivered through North Sea pipelines
- United States: 45.3% of LNG imports (2024), shipped by tanker from Gulf Coast terminals
- Algeria: 19% of pipeline imports plus 10.7% of LNG imports
- Russia: ~6% of pipeline imports (down from 40% in 2021), 17.5% of LNG imports
- Qatar: Fourth-largest LNG supplier, with about $3.7 billion in shipments in 2024
- Azerbaijan: 7% of pipeline imports via the Southern Gas Corridor
- Nigeria: Fifth-largest LNG supplier, with about $2 billion in shipments in 2024
- Libya: ~1% of pipeline imports, piped to Italy
The mix continues to evolve. Norway and the U.S. have cemented themselves as Europe’s anchor suppliers, while North Africa and the Caspian region offer room for growth if political and infrastructure conditions align. The days of depending on a single dominant supplier are, for now, over.