Study on comprehensive evaluation and countermeasures of natural gas safety in EU

Abstract

The recent Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused fluctuations in European energy prices and supply. Natural gas possesses a large portion in the Russian European energy trade restricting the industrial and social production of both sides. This paper analyzes the current situation of natural gas security in 27 EU countries based on multiple indicators. A framework of 7 dimensions of natural gas security is introduced, and 13 evaluation indicators are proposed, including a new indicator on natural gas storage. And a mixed model composed of AHP and TOPSIS is utilized to estimate the natural gas security performance of the 27 EU countries. Meanwhile, the overall security of natural gas in the 27 EU countries is ranked based on the determination of the main influencing factors of natural gas security. The results show that accessibility and affordability have the greatest impact on natural gas security. Among the 27 countries, the safest is the Finland, while the worst is Bulgaria. Moreover, the assessment and indicators are beneficial for different countries and regions evaluating natural gas security performance.