Brexit Britain is heading for a showdown with the EU over sanctioned Russian gas (Image: Getty)
Brexit Britain is poised for a bruising showdown with the European Union over member countries importing Russian gas. UK Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho will tell the EU to stop Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports amid concerns it could end up in Britain's energy system.
The UK banned Russian LNG imports in January last year as part of a raft of sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of Vladimir Putin widening his war on Ukraine.
Some EU countries still take LNG direct from Russia, with Britain at risk of importing it via pipelines in the Channel because of the complex network used to transport the fuel around the continent, according to Politico.
Experts have told the publication the risk of Russian LNG entering the UK is impossible unless there's a ban across the whole of Europe. The EU has cut the amount of gas it buys from Russia, but countries including Belgium, France and Spain still import it. In 2022, the trade was estimated to be worth ￡13.6billion (16 billion euros).
Powered By
00:00/00:50
10
10
Farage points out that the EU bought up 52 percent of Putin's liquid gas last year
Share
Next
Stay
READ MORE Fury at Church of England as document reveals huge role in Asylum merry-go-round
Fingers point to Emmanuel Macron's administration for failing to crack down on Russian gas imports (Image: Getty)
Stay up-to-date with the latest Politics news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Ms Coutinho told Politico she plans to tell Britain's European allies to do more to drive Russian gas out of the market when she attends a meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris.
Tory colleagues are said to be pointing the finger in particular at Emmanuel Macron's government, Politio reports.
Iain Duncan Smith said: "It’s astonishing France, [which] has done far less than the UK and Germany to support Ukraine, continues to undermine the sanctions regime by importing Russian LNG. The EU should call them out."
The Energy Secretary told the publication: "We are working closely with European allies to help end their dependency and I plan to discuss this at our next IEA meeting in Paris."
Don't miss...
UK energy giant 'planning to move billions in investment' overseas [REVEALED]
Tory members threaten to vote Reform unless one of these three people is leader [REPORT]
Latest weather maps show exact time brutal cold weather will hit UK this week [LATEST]
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading
Start 30-day
FREE trial
Spain, France and Belgium are the biggest importers of LNG (Image: Getty)
Experts have said the risk of Britain importing Russian gas is very small, with officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero arguing it is unlikely gas originating from Russia is currently entering the UK.
However, they have acknowledged there is no way to trace the origin of every molecule of gas making its way to Britain through the pipelines. Unexpected disruption to gas imports from Norway and the US could increase the risk though.
LNG is a natural gas which has been reduced to a liquid state through a process of cooling and has been part of the UK’s energy mix for years.
It produces 40 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than coal and 30 percent less than oil, which makes it the cleanest of the fossil fuels, according to the National Grid.
The US has the world's largest LNG exporting capacity (92.9million metric tonnes) followed by Australia (87.6m metric tonnes), Qatar (77.4m metric tonnes) and Russia (31.1m metric tonnes) as of October 2023, according to Statista.
Trending
Meanwhile, the BBC reports millions of barrells of Russian oil are still being imported into Britain despite sanctions.
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said a "refining loophole" means countries including India and China, who have not sanctioned the Kremlin, can legally import Russian crude and refine it into oil products such as jet fuel. Those countries then export such products to others, including the UK and EU.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Vladimir Putin's China gamble collapsing as Russia fails to compensate for gas sale losses
24 Comments
Billionaire Tory donor accuses Britain of 'dithering' in global green race
305 Comments
Heat pump tsar Lord Callanan sparks row after admitting he uses gas boiler in London home
371 Comments
'This did not age well': Ed Miliband humiliated over tweet after huge Labour U-turn
426 Comments
Nuclear disaster fears spike as Iran set to build four more power plants
12 Comments
Even Labour MPs don't know what Keir Starmer stands for
Comments
'Look me in the eye': Rishi Sunak confronted by furious Covid vaccine campaginer
90 Comments
'Right-on' Rishi Sunak missed an opportunity on GB News to deal with his biggest critic
7 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
407 Comments
Tories urged to bring Boris Johnson back for 'game-changing' general election campaign
153 Comments
Ursula von der Leyen will be overjoyed as a Hungarian tragedy takes out Brexit allies
203 Comments
Keir Starmer finally cuts ties with Labour by-election candidate after fresh row explodes
509 Comments
Labour under fire as party stands by Rochdale by-election candidate over Israel row
547 Comments
Humza Yousaf accused of carrying on Nicola Sturgeon's 'addiction to cover-up and secrecy'
38 Comments
Our security is threatened by Joe Biden's LNG Export Moratorium, not Trump's rhetoric
7 Comments
EU Russian oil ban: Will it send pump prices soaring again?
8 Comments
Doctor shares seven signs your household items could be causing carbon monoxide poisoning
1 Comments
Rural UK homes 'left without power or heating' after fuel delivery delays
3 Comments
Developers must offer community benefits for green projects, Kwasi Kwarteng tells Sunak
3 Comments
Fears Britons to face expensive chocolate as cocoa price soars to record high
28 Comments
Vladimir Putin's China gamble collapsing as Russia fails to compensate for gas sale losses
24 Comments
Billionaire Tory donor accuses Britain of 'dithering' in global green race
305 Comments
Heat pump tsar Lord Callanan sparks row after admitting he uses gas boiler in London home
371 Comments
'This did not age well': Ed Miliband humiliated over tweet after huge Labour U-turn
426 Comments
Nuclear disaster fears spike as Iran set to build four more power plants
12 Comments
Even Labour MPs don't know what Keir Starmer stands for
Comments
'Look me in the eye': Rishi Sunak confronted by furious Covid vaccine campaginer
90 Comments
'Right-on' Rishi Sunak missed an opportunity on GB News to deal with his biggest critic
7 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
407 Comments
Tories urged to bring Boris Johnson back for 'game-changing' general election campaign
153 Comments
Ursula von der Leyen will be overjoyed as a Hungarian tragedy takes out Brexit allies
203 Comments
Keir Starmer finally cuts ties with Labour by-election candidate after fresh row explodes
509 Comments
Labour under fire as party stands by Rochdale by-election candidate over Israel row
547 Comments
Humza Yousaf accused of carrying on Nicola Sturgeon's 'addiction to cover-up and secrecy'
38 Comments
Our security is threatened by Joe Biden's LNG Export Moratorium, not Trump's rhetoric
7 Comments
EU Russian oil ban: Will it send pump prices soaring again?
8 Comments
Doctor shares seven signs your household items could be causing carbon monoxide poisoning
1 Comments
Rural UK homes 'left without power or heating' after fuel delivery delays
3 Comments
Developers must offer community benefits for green projects, Kwasi Kwarteng tells Sunak
3 Comments
Fears Britons to face expensive chocolate as cocoa price soars to record high
28 Comments
Vladimir Putin's China gamble collapsing as Russia fails to compensate for gas sale losses
24 Comments
Billionaire Tory donor accuses Britain of 'dithering' in global green race
305 Comments
Heat pump tsar Lord Callanan sparks row after admitting he uses gas boiler in London home
371 Comments
'This did not age well': Ed Miliband humiliated over tweet after huge Labour U-turn
426 Comments
Nuclear disaster fears spike as Iran set to build four more power plants
12 Comments
Even Labour MPs don't know what Keir Starmer stands for
Comments
'Look me in the eye': Rishi Sunak confronted by furious Covid vaccine campaginer
90 Comments
Isaac Levi, Head of CREA's Europe-Russia policy and energy analysis, told the broadcaster: "The issue with this loophole is it increases the demand for Russian crude and enables higher sales in terms of volume and pushing up their price as well, which increases the funds sent to the Kremlin's war chest."
Campaign group Global Witness has estimated that throughout 2023, some 5.2 million barrels of refined petroleum products produced from Russian crude oil were imported by Britain.
Most of the fuel imported - 4.6 million barrels - was for jets, which Global Witness researchers have told the BBC was used in one in 20 UK flights.
Related articles EU members left with new 'difficult to swallow' ￡55bn fund with 'fine print' Russia accuses Ukraine of killing 28 in shelling of bakery as bloody battle rage Killer Mike 'arrested' at Grammys and dragged away in handcuffs after three wins Princess Kate's abdominal surgery recovery could take nine months Taylor Swift makes Grammys history but slammed for 'crime' against Celine Dion