UK liquefied natural gas imports
UK liquefied natural gas imports stood at 12,300.96 Gigawatt hours in Q2 2026, according to GOV.UK official statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Renewables and gas supply table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1998 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Renewables and gas supply table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total supply | 118,948.64 | 237,110.32 | 202,467.5 | 101,023.81 | 116,571.3 | 256,550.84 | 218,016.06 | 103,423.02 | 126,748.32 | 238,153.97 | |
| Imports | 73,683.8 | 171,610.62 | 142,184.32 | 76,714.04 | 73,334.3 | 171,459.25 | 138,187.21 | 85,646.32 | 85,714.99 | 143,752.37 | |
| Imports of liquefied natural gas | 12,300.96 | 78,009.61 | 47,976.94 | 7,008.37 | 15,734.23 | 66,644.22 | 40,196.84 | 9,653.72 | 14,734.69 | 46,569.94 |
Understanding UK liquefied natural gas imports
This metric counts the total energy content of liquefied natural gas shipments delivered to specialist regasification terminals situated across the United Kingdom. It measures super-cooled gas transported in liquid form by specialist carrier vessels from global export origins, subsequently reheated and injected into the national transmission system. Unlike pipeline imports that rely on fixed continental connections, this series reflects global maritime trade dynamics and international spot market price competitiveness.
Evaluating this measure requires understanding global shipping logistics, cargo diversion economics, and terminal capacity constraints. Figures frequently face revisions as customs declarations are verified and final calorific value measurements of unloaded cargoes are processed. Seasonal comparisons should be approached carefully, as shipping schedules and global supply gluts can create extreme volatility between identical quarters in different years.
Frequently asked questions
- How is liquefied natural gas measured in these figures?
- Quantities of imported liquid cargo are converted into standard energy units of gigawatt hours after being regasified.
- What distinguishes this from general pipeline imports?
- It isolates seaborne deliveries transported at cryogenic temperatures in specialist vessels, bypassing fixed continental pipeline networks.
- Why is this series prone to high volatility?
- Cargo arrivals depend on global market price arbitrage and international shipping routes, leading to sharp fluctuations between quarters.