Natural gas market indicators

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Data from February 2012, most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database.

This article takes a look at the natural gas markets in the European Union (EU), presenting recent statistical data on the number and activities of companies that either bring natural gas into the country or by indigenous production (IMport and PROduction  = IMPRO) and retail companies across EU Member States, Croatia, Turkey and FYROM.

During the last 5 years the number of main natural gas IMPRO companies (with a market share of 5 % or more) remained quite stable but in 2010, an increase of about 20 % can be observed. In 2010, the total number of natural gas IMPRO companies in the European Union increased as well compared to 2009 by more than 23 %.

Table 1: Number of entities bringing natural gas into the country, 2010
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Table 2: Number of main entities, 2010
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Figure 1: Number of main entities bringing gas into the country and their cumulative market share, 2010
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Table 3: Market share of the largest entity bringing natural gas into the country, 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Table 4: Number of retailers selling natural gas to final customers, 2010
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Table 5: Number of main natural gas retailers, 2010
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Figure 2: Number of main natural gas retailers to final customers and their cumulative market share, 2010
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)
Table 6: Market share of the largest natural gas retailer, 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat (This data is not yet available in the Eurostat dissemination database)

Contents

Main statistical findings

During the period 2003-2010, the number of main companies with a market coverage above 5 %, that either produce natural gas by indigenous production or bring natural gas into the country (IMport and PROduction = IMPRO) increased from 52 to 73 companies. Between 2005 and 2009, this number remained stable around 62 companies, but in 2010, a significant increase was observed by 20 %. The total number of natural gas IMPRO companies increased significantly (from 173 in 2003 to 298 companies in 2010), which means that a significant number of small size companies entered the IMPRO natural gas market during this period. Information excludes however data from the Netherlands (no data available), Cyprus and Malta (no significant gas market).

Natural gas market - Import & Production (IMPRO)

The information in Table 1 refers to the total number of companies that either produce natural gas by indigenous production or bring natural gas into the country by import (IMPRO companies). In 2010, the total number of IMPRO companies remained limited to one single company in three EU Member States (Latvia, Estonia and Finland). Between 2009 and 2010, the total number of IMPRO companies remained stable in seven EU Member States but increases could be observed in 13 Member States, while the number of IMPRO companies went down in Bulgaria, Estonia, Poland and in the UK (the Netherlands did not report this indicator).

Table 2 shows the number of main IMPRO companies that have a market coverage of at least 5 % of the total national indigenous production and import of natural gas. Six EU Member States declared only one single enterprise to have a significant share in 2010. In the UK and in Germany there are seven IMPRO companies of considerable size. In Ireland, Greece, and Hungary the number of main IMPRO companies with a share of over 5 % increased with two enterprises in 2010 compared to one year earlier.

During the period 2003-2009, the number of main IMPRO companies (> 5 %) fluctuated between 52 and 64 companies, but in 2010 a significant increase was however observed  when the number of main companies increased from 61 to 73.

Figure 1 displays the cumulated shares of main IMPRO companies in a given country having a share of at least 5 % of their respective national markets. Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands did not report this indicator.

Table 3 displays the market share of the largest IMPRO company in 2010 in percentage of national indigenous production and import. Apart from Estonia, Finland and Latvia, where only one entity dominates the national production/import, figures above 90 % for the largest IMPRO company are observed in Bulgaria (97.1 %), Poland (96.8 %), Portugal (95.8 %) and Slovenia (94.2 %). The lowest market penetration of the largest IMPRO company on national level can be observed in the UK (23.0 %). Germany that came second in 2009 did not report this indicator for 2010.

Natural gas market - Retail

EU Member States (plus Croatia, FYROM and Turkey) also reported information concerning the retailing (sales) sector for natural gas.

Table 4 presents information of the total number of retailing companies that sell natural gas to final customers. The most outstanding changes can be observed for France, where the total number of retailers went up during 2010 from 36 to 50 retailers, whereas in Estonia the number went down from 27 to 22 retailers. When looking at EU level, the total number of natural gas retailers increased by nearly 4 % in 2010, compared to 2009.

Table 5 shows the number of main retailers (retailers are considered as "main" if they sell at least 5 % of the total national natural gas consumption), the figures remain quite stable during the last seven years. Ten main retailers can be found in Hungary, six in the United Kingdom, Spain and in Portugal. Markets where only one main retailer is dealing with the sales of natural gas are registered in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland. The most outstanding change that can be observed from table 5 is the  decrease of 2 main retailers in the UK and in Sweden. In Ireland, this number increased with 2 companies in 2010.

Figure 2 illustrates the cumulative market shares of main natural gas retailers for all EU Member States (except Denmark that did not supply this information), plus Croatia and FYROM. If one looks to the remaining retail-market, which is the market that is covered by non-main retail companies that have a market coverage of less then 5 %, this market for "minor" retail companies is the largest in Germany (83.8 %). The market for "minor"retail companies is below 10 % in 12 out of 24 EU countries that reported this information.

Table 6 displays the market share of the largest natural gas retailer in 2010 in percentage of total national consumption. Apart from Latvia, where only one entity dominates the national sales market, figures above 90 % for the largest retail company can be found in Lithuania (98.4 %), Estonia (97.0 %), Finland (95.0 %), Bulgaria (94.1 %) and Poland (93.0 %). A relative small market penetration for the largest retail company on national level can be observed in Germany (8.7 %), followed by Hungary (15.6 %) and Italy (24.7 %).

Data sources and availability

The information used to create this article was collected on the basis of a questionnaire "Competition Indicators for the natural gas market 2010".

All EU Member States (except Malta and Cyprus) plus Croatia, the FYROM and Turkey returned the questionnaires to Eurostat but sometimes information for individual indicators were not reported either for confidentiality reasons of simply because the data was not available.

The reporting was done on a voluntary basis.

Context

Since July 2004, small business consumers in the EU have been free to switch their gas or electricity supplier, and in July 2007 this option was extended to all consumers. Independent national regulatory authorities have been established across the Member Sates to ensure that suppliers and network companies operate correctly. However, a number of shortcomings were identified in the opening-up of markets, and it was therefore decided to embark upon a third legislative package of measures with the aim of ensuring that all users could take advantage of the benefits provided by a truly competitive energy market. The European Commission launched its third legislative package to liberalise energy markets in September 2007. These proposals were designed to: create a competitive energy market, expand consumer choice, promote fairer prices, result in cleaner energy, and promote the security of supply. During 2009, a number of these proposals were adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, in particular the Regulation 713/2009 of 13 July 2009 establishing an agency for the cooperation of energy regulators.

Further Eurostat information

Publications

Main tables

Energy Statistics - quantities (t_nrg_quant)
Total production of primary energy (ten00076)
Primary production of natural gas (ten00079)
Net imports of natural gas (ten00085)
Gross inland energy consumption, by fuel (tsdcc320)
Final energy consumption of natural gas (ten00098)
Energy Statistics - prices (t_nrg_price)
Gas prices for industrial consumers (ten00112)
Gas prices for household consumers (ten00113)

Database

Main indicators - Energy Statistics (nrg_indic)
Energy Statistics - Euro-indicators in energy - monthly data (nrg_ind_34m)
Supply of natural gas - monthly data (nrg_ind_343m)
Energy Statistics - quantities (nrg_quant)
Energy Statistics - supply, transformation, consumption (nrg_10)
Supply, transformation, consumption - gas - annual data (nrg_103a)
Supply - gas - monthly data (nrg_103m)
Energy Statistics - infrastructure (nrg_11)
Infrastructure - gas - annual data (nrg_112a)
Energy statistics - imports (by country of origin) (nrg_12)
Imports (by country of origin) - gas - annual data (nrg_124a)
Imports (by country of origin) - gas - monthly data (nrg_124m)
Energy Statistics - exports (by country of destination) (nrg_13)
Exports (by country of destination) - gas - annual data (nrg_134a)
Exports (by country of destination) - gas - monthly data (nrg_134m)
Energy Statistics - prices (nrg_price)
Energy Statistics: gas and electricity prices - New methodology from 2007 onwards (nrg_pc)
Gas - domestic consumers - half-yearly prices - New methodology from 2007 onwards (nrg_pc_202)
Gas - industrial consumers - half-yearly prices - New methodology from 2007 onwards (nrg_pc_203)

Dedicated section

Source data for tables, figures and maps on this page (MS Excel)

Methodology / Metadata

Other information

  • Commission Communication COM final 0115/2009 of 11 March 2009 – Report on progress in creating the internal gas and electricity market
  • Directive 2003/55/EC of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas and repealing Directive 98/30/EC
  • Regulation 713/2009 of 13 July 2009 establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators
  • Regulation 1775/2005 of 28 September 2005 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks

External links

See also

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