According to the Polish state-run oil and gas company PGNiG (Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo), LNG imports (most of which from Qatar, Norway and the United States) rose by 58% in 2018 (+ 1 bcm, from 1.7 bcm in 2017 to 2.7 bcm in 2018), accounting for 20% of total gas imports. Meanwhile, Russian gas imports declined by 6.4%, from around 9.7 bcm in 2017 to roughly 9 bcm in 2018. Consequently, the share of gas imports from Russia in the total Polish import volumes dropped to less than 67% in 2018 from 89% in 2017.
According to data unveiled by the Belgian power transmission system operator (TSO) Elia, 2018 was marked by significant levels of unavailability among the domestic nuclear power generation plants. Nuclear power generation fell by 32% in 2018 and only accounted for 34% of Belgium's 2018 electricity supply (even 15% in October 2018), in contrast to 50% in 2017. This unavailability had consequences on power imports, which surged in 2018 (+168%) and covered 22% of the power supply (from 8% in 2017). Gas-fired power generation remained stable during the year and covered 27% of the electricity supply.
Brazilian state-run oil and gas company Petrobras has reported that its total oil and gas output, including natural gas liquids (NGL), stood at 2.6 mboe/d in 2018, including 2.5 mboe/d produced in Brazil and 101,000 boe/d abroad. The annual average of the company's total operated production (both Petrobras and partner’s share) amounted to 3.3 mboe/d, of which 3.2 mboe/d in Brazil.
A record volume of 567 TWh was traded on the European Power Exchange (EPEX SPOT) in 2018; this amount is 16% higher than in 2017. It represents an all-time high of annual traded volumes and even breaks the 2015 record, when 566 TWh were traded. In France, trade volumes reached 120 TWh, a number even higher than the 2016 record of 115 TWh. Significant volumes were traded in the United Kingdom (nearly 69 TWh, +4.8%), the Netherlands (39.5 TWh, +14%), Switzerland (nearly 25 TWh) and Belgium (27 TWh, +42.7%). In 2018, the Germany-Luxembourg-Austria bidding zone was split in two separate market areas with two respective spot power price indices; the day ahead market volumes remained stable and the German intraday market posted a 13% growth.
