EU Gas Storage Refill Passes 7 bcm as LNG Imports Hold at Record Levels

Lead

European Union countries have injected more than 7 billion cubic meters of gas into underground storage since the start of the summer season in April, according to calculations by TASS based on data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). As of May 9, storage facilities were 34.51% full, holding approximately 37.8 billion cubic meters of gas, the agency reported.

Coverage Comparison

TASS, the Russian state news agency, has published multiple updates on Europe's gas storage refill progress and LNG import levels. The figures cited have evolved over time: an April 29 report noted net injections of nearly 4 billion cubic meters with storage at 31.97% full, while a May 9 report showed injections exceeding 7 billion cubic meters and storage levels at 34.51%. A separate May 2 report focused on LNG imports, highlighting that Europe maintained imports at last year's record highs in April.

All reports cite TASS calculations based on GIE data, and the May 2 LNG report also references data from the European Network of Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG). The figures are consistent across the reports, with the differences reflecting the passage of time.

Key Claims

• Net gas injections exceeding 7 bcm: According to TASS calculations, net gas injection by EU countries into underground gas storage exceeded 7 billion cubic meters by May 9, 2026. Earlier, on April 29, the same source reported injections of nearly 4 billion cubic meters.

• Storage levels at 34.51%: TASS reported on May 9 that Europe's gas storage facilities were 34.51% full, up from 31.97% on April 29. The agency noted that a year earlier, storage was 41.8% full at a comparable time.

• EU storage target of 90%: Under European Commission requirements, EU countries must fill their gas storage to 90% between October 1 and December 1 each year, with a 10% flexibility margin allowed in difficult conditions. TASS calculations indicate that net injections of at least 68 billion cubic meters are needed to meet this target. A year earlier, Europe managed only about 55 billion cubic meters.

• Gazprom's forecast: TASS reports that Gazprom has forecast gas reserves in Europe's underground storage facilities may fail to reach 70% before the next heating season.

• LNG imports at record levels: TASS reported that in April, Europe maintained LNG imports at last year's record highs, with LNG flows from terminals to the EU gas transportation system amounting to 12.61 billion cubic meters. This was 7% below March levels and 0.1% less than in April 2025. Over January-April, LNG pumping reached a record 50.8 billion cubic meters, up 9% year-on-year.

• LNG as leading gas source: According to ENTSOG, LNG supplies led Europe's gas sources in January-April with a 36.2% share, followed by North Sea supplies (mainly Norwegian gas) at 28.3%, withdrawals from underground storage at 21.3%, and North African supplies at 7.2%. Supplies from the East (Russian and Ukrainian gas, plus European companies' stored gas in Ukraine) accounted for 4.6%, and Azerbaijani supplies for 2.5%.

Perspectives

The reports frame Europe's storage refill efforts in the context of heightened competition with Asia for liquefied natural gas (LNG) volumes, attributed by TASS to the Middle East conflict. This competition is expected to keep fuel prices higher during the current summer season. Gazprom's forecast of storage potentially not reaching 70% adds a note of caution, though it is presented without independent verification.

TASS also contextualized the current refill season by noting that Europe completed its 2025-2026 heating season in early April, making it the second-longest on record since 2011, at 173 days. Net withdrawals during that season exceeded 61 billion cubic meters, 6.5 billion cubic meters more than the volumes injected the previous summer.

The reports do not include reactions from EU officials or independent energy analysts, and the figures rely on single-source attribution (TASS calculations) based on GIE and ENTSOG data. As such, while the data appear consistent, they have not been independently corroborated by other news outlets or official EU statements.

Note: This article is based on extracts from TASS reports and does not include perspectives from other news organizations or official EU sources, which were not available in the provided material.