ROMANIA: Gas production increased by almost 1% in 2024; imports decreased by 13.9%

Romania’s usable natural gas production in 2024 was 7.57 million tons of oil equivalent, 0.9% more than in the previous year (plus 70,700 toe), according to data centralized by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

On the other hand, last year imports decreased by 13.9% (minus 294,800 toe) compared to 2023, to 1.821 million tons of oil equivalent.

Domestic natural gas production totaled 6.912 million toe in the aforementioned period, being 1% more than in the period January-November 2023 (+70,300 toe).

According to estimates by the National Strategy and Forecast Commission, natural gas production is expected to increase by 1.7% annually until 2027, after a 1.4% increase in 2023.

Thus, in the latest Energy Balance Forecast, production of 7.675 million tons of oil equivalent was forecast for 2024, up 0.6%, with production estimated at 7.79 million toe (up 1.5%) for 2025, 7.907 million toe (up 1.5%) for 2026 and 8.176 million toe (up 3.4%) for 2027.

Regarding imports, for 2024 an increase of over 10% in natural gas imports was forecast, after which a downward trend is expected, with a more pronounced pace at the horizon of 2027 (-6%), in line with the advance of production through the entry into operation of new capacities, but also taking into account the maintenance of transit to foreign markets.

CNSP estimated imports for 2024 of 2.392 million toe (plus 11.1%), for 2025 of 2.211 million toe (minus 7.6%), for 2026 of 2.150 million toe (minus 2.7%) and for 2027 of 2.022 million toe (minus 6%).