TurkStream flows weaken in April as Strait of Hormuz disruptions lift European gas prices

Russian natural gas shipments to Europe through the TurkStream pipeline declined in April, underscoring how quickly European supply dynamics can be reshaped by both infrastructure constraints and global price shocks. Preliminary market calculations put average daily export volumes at around 41 million cubic meters—about 1.7% lower than the same period last year and more than 25% below March—while deliveries also eased slightly on a monthly basis.

April volumes fall amid global supply-risk concerns

The weaker flow comes as volatility has intensified across international energy markets, driven in large part by disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for oil and liquefied natural gas transport. Growing concern over potential supply risks helped push gas prices higher globally, feeding through to pricing expectations for European buyers even as physical deliveries via TurkStream softened.

Turkey remains the only active transit route for Russian pipeline gas

Since the Russia–Ukraine gas transit agreement expired at the start of 2025, Turkey has remained the only active transit corridor for Russian pipeline gas supplies destined for European consumers. TurkStream runs roughly 930 kilometers beneath the Black Sea, connecting Russia’s coast near Anapa with Kiyikoy in northwestern Turkey before continuing through Balkan pipeline infrastructure toward Central and Western Europe.

The system’s total annual transport capacity is 31.5 billion cubic meters. About half of that capacity is allocated to Turkey’s domestic market, while the remainder is reserved for exports to European countries.

ENTSO data show April deliveries slightly below last year

Data compiled from ENTSOG (the network of European transmission system operators) indicate that total Russian gas deliveries to Europe via TurkStream reached approximately 1.23 billion cubic meters in April. That compares with about 1.25 billion cubic meters recorded in the same month last year.

Even with lower April figures, cumulative exports during the first four months of the year increased by around 7.3% versus the same period in 2025, reaching nearly 6.2 billion cubic meters.

Longer-term decline highlights how far exports have fallen

Beyond month-to-month swings, Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe have fallen sharply in recent years. Market estimates suggest deliveries dropped by roughly 44% last year to around 18 billion cubic meters—described as the lowest export level since the 1970s following the shutdown of Ukrainian transit. By comparison, Russian gas exports to Europe peaked at nearly 180 billion cubic meters annually during 2018 and 2019.

Taken together, April’s lower TurkStream flows highlight both near-term sensitivity to global energy-market disruptions and longer-running structural change in how Russian pipeline gas reaches Europe—now increasingly dependent on routes through Turkey rather than Ukraine.