The net volume of gas imported into the UK outstripped domestic production in 2013 for the first time ever, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said Thursday.
"Imports of gas again exceeded UK production, and in 2013 for the first time net imports were above UK production levels," DECC said in energy statistics released Thursday, which included provisional figures for December.
In 2013, UK production of gas fell by 7.3%, generally in line with the long-term trend of an 8% annual decline since 2000, the figures showed.
Physical flows of imports were down also, by 1.7%, with the main sources being from pipelines from Norway, accounting for 58%, and LNG, mainly from Qatar, accounting for 19%.
Since 2011, pipeline imports have risen nearly 40%, while LNG imports are down over 60%. Competitive prices in Asia have seen many LNG tankers redirected.
In recent years, lower coal prices have seen generators move from gas to the more carbon-intensive fuel and the DECC figures showed demand for gas at its lowest level since 1995.
The data showed gross production in 2013 was 38.2 billion cubic meters, down from 41.1 billion cu m in 2012 and 73.5 billion cu m in 2008.
Exports fell from 13.1 billion in cu m in 2012 to 9.8 billion cu m in 2013 and imports fell from 49.9 billion cu m to 48.9 billion cu m.
The provisional figures for December showed production at 3.4 billion cu m (+3.6% month on month, -2.9% year on year); imports at 5 billion cu m (-4.5% month on month, -19% year on year); and exports at 548 million cu m (-13.3% month on month, -27% year on year).
