UK gas output fell about 3% last winter as LNG imports rose 15%
Key Facts
Gas production from the UK Continental Shelf fell about 3% during winter 2025/26, while liquefied natural gas imports rose 15%, according to National Gas's review of the supply system's performance over the previous winter. The company said the decline in domestic production continued a long-term trend, alongside greater reliance on the flexible supply sources provided by LNG imports. National Gas described the increase in those imports as reflecting "greater reliance on flexible supply sources". A report by Britain's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero links the decline in domestic production to the continued depletion of gas reserves on the continental shelf for natural geological reasons. The report said "gas reserves on the UK Continental Shelf continue to deplete naturally for geological reasons", the context in which it places the decline in domestic production resources.
A supply breakdown published by Britain's energy regulator Ofgem illustrates the scale of imported gas in meeting the country's needs, alongside the contribution from domestic fields. According to the regulator's explanation, updated in July 2026, about 47% of Britain's gas arrives by pipeline from Norway. British North Sea fields supply 29% of the gas, according to the same page, which distinguishes between Norwegian supplies and production from British fields. Alongside these two sources, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said in a parliamentary answer that storage met 5% of total gas use in Great Britain during winter 2025/26. The department expects storage to make a similar contribution this winter, according to the answer published in UK parliamentary proceedings.
On inventories ahead of winter, The National newspaper reported that Britain's underground gas storage facilities were only 48% full at the start of October 2026. In the European Union, underground storage facilities were 72% full on 1 October 2026, according to the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas. The network said this level followed a challenging season for injecting gas into storage facilities. But it stressed in its assessment of the supply system that "European gas infrastructure remains sufficiently resilient to meet demand". On demand in the coming months, a scientific summary published by Britain's Government Office for Science warned that colder, drier conditions in late winter could increase demand for LNG.
On upcoming domestic supplies, the Associated Press reported that the British government had approved the Jackdaw gas project off Scotland. Gas from the project is expected to begin flowing into Britain's gas distribution network later this year, according to the agency. On the British economy, Office for National Statistics data showed annual consumer price index inflation rose to 3.5% in September 2026. The rate had stood at 3.1% in August before rising in the September reading, which measures the annual change in consumer prices. On the next fiscal event, Britain's Treasury set 28 October 2026 as the date for the budget announcement, according to its letter on the date to parliament's Treasury Committee.