European gas storage is one of the most-watched numbers in energy through the summer and autumn, because it largely determines how comfortable the continent will be over winter. Here is how it works and where it stands now.
The 90% target
After the 2022 energy crisis, the EU adopted a coordinated goal of filling gas storage to roughly 90% of capacity by 1 November each year. Storage is filled through spring and summer, when demand and prices are lower, and drawn down through winter. Hitting the target on time is treated as a key marker of supply security.
Why the average can mislead
The bloc-wide percentage hides a wide spread between member states. Some countries with large domestic storage routinely sit near or above target, while others — often those most dependent on imports — lag well behind. A healthy aggregate can still mask pockets of regional risk, which is why the pace of filling matters as much as the headline level.
Where the gas comes from
Since 2022 Europe has rebuilt supply around LNG imports (much of it from the US and Qatar) and non-Russian pipeline routes such as the Southern Gas Corridor from Azerbaijan and Norwegian pipeline gas. The return of Qatari LNG in particular depends on the security of the Strait of Hormuz.