France becomes top buyer of Algerian LNG in October

Algeria sent 296,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to France in October, making France the top buyer of Algerian LNG that month.

ObservAlgerie reported that deliveries rose 30% from about 228,000 tonnes in September. It was the highest monthly figure since March, when shipments had reached 347,000 tonnes.

Over one year, deliveries rose 84%. In October 2025, France had received only 161,000 tonnes of Algerian LNG.

LNG shipments

Algeria's total LNG exports were estimated at 1 million tonnes in October. France took 29% of them, the first place among Algeria's customers.

For France, the 296,000 tonnes made up nearly 16% of its monthly LNG imports, which totalled 1.9 million tonnes.

Between January and October, Algerian deliveries to France reached 2 million tonnes, against 2 million in the same period of 2025. Deliveries are almost unchanged from last year.

French LNG imports as a whole fell from 18.4 million tonnes to 15.6 million tonnes between January and October, a drop of about 15%. This change mechanically increases Algeria's share of French supplies.

Any rise in deliveries is limited by Sonatrach's contract commitments to its other international customers.

Crude oil shipments

Algeria sent 40,000 barrels a day of crude oil to France in October, up from 15,000 in September, a rise of more than 160%. This rebound follows a particularly low level in September.

Since January, average deliveries have reached 50,000 barrels a day, against 78,000 in 2025, a fall of 36%.

France is the third buyer of Algerian crude, behind Spain with 63,000 barrels a day and South Korea with 51,000.

Total French crude oil imports reached 869,000 barrels a day in October, against 860,000 in September. Since January, the average has been 973,000 barrels a day, against 990,000 a year earlier, about 2% less.

What comes next

Energy sector sources cite a possible rise in Algerian shipments to France from November. This still needs to be said by the next trade figures.