The entry of natural gas from Algeria registered in May a strong rebound of 64.2% compared to the same month of the previous year, placing the Maghreb country again as the main supplier of gas to Spain so far in 2026, ahead of the United States.
In detail, Algerian natural gas, historically the largest source of Spanish purchases, covered 42.6% of the national demand in May, with a total volume of 13,367 GWh, combining both gas arriving via the Medgaz pipeline and LNG transported by methane tankers.
In this way, Algeria regains leadership as Spain's main natural gas supplier in the cumulative total for 2026, concentrating 33.1% of the gas received in the first five months of the year. The United States is slightly behind, with 32.2% of the total supplied in the same period.
Purchases through the Almería interconnection from Algeria increased in May by 27.3% compared to May 2025 and have accumulated so far in 2026 a growth of close to 11%, reaching almost 50,000 GWh.
As for the United States, LNG imported from the other side of the Atlantic accounted for 15.2% of Spanish demand in May, with 4,763 GWh, although this volume was practically halved compared to the same month of 2025.
Russia, for its part, ranked as the second largest gas supplier to Spain in May, with 8,726 GWh sent in the form of LNG and a share of 27.8% of the monthly demand. In the annual calculation, it consolidates as the third supplier, with 19.5% of the total received.
Twelve different origins for the gas arriving in Spain
So far this year, Spain has imported natural gas from 12 different countries. In addition to the United States, Algeria, and Russia, suppliers include Nigeria, Angola, France, Portugal, Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, and Mexico. No purchases are recorded from Middle Eastern countries, a region affected by the conflict in Iran.
Underground gas storage facilities in Spain are currently at 72% of their capacity, while regasification plants are operating at 71%.
In parallel, gas exports by pipeline from Spain to France grew in May by 63.3% compared to May 2025, increasing from 1,159 GWh to 1,893 GWh.
Regarding consumption, total natural gas demand in May fell 1% compared to the same month of the previous year, to 24,196 GWh. Demand linked to electricity generation increased by 0.7%, while conventional demand fell by 1.7% in the month.