Belgium's Russian oil imports offset by Norway and US

Since the embargo on Russian oil, Belgian industry has turned to several other countries to import crude oil. Last year, imports from Norway increased by 52 per cent and those from the US by 53 per cent compared to 2022, according to figures from the multi-energy association Energia.

Norway alone accounts for 16 per cent of Belgium's imports, while the US accounts for 13 per cent. The rest of North and South America is still marginal, but growing fast. Belgium imported three times as much oil from Canada and five times as much from Brazil, which now each account for 4 per cent of total imports.

Russia's share fell from 22 to 0 per cent in the space of a year as a result of the European embargo on Russian crude oil, which came into force on 6 December.

With a share of 47.4 per cent, oil remains by far the most important source of final energy consumption in Belgium, followed by gas, electricity and renewables, according to Energia. Three sectors consume the most oil: road transport, maritime transport and petrochemicals. Aviation accounts for 7 per cent.

In road transport, diesel accounted for 68 per cent of total consumption last year, compared with 32 per cent for petrol. The share of diesel continues to fall: in 2015 it still accounted for 82 per cent of total consumption, compared with 18 per cent for petrol.

^{Oil platform Johan Sverdrup, 14km off the coast of Stavanger, Norway © PHOTO LARS LINDQVIST / DN / TT}