Europe’s energy crisis is very far from over

IN MID-OCTOBER, off the Spanish coast, a number of slow-moving metallic domes emerged on the skyline. They were tankers, pregnant with superchilled liquefied natural gas (LNG) and awaiting delivery at busy “regasification” terminals, where their liquid fuel is turned to gas before being transferred across the continent. Iberia has the biggest facilities in Europe, but congestion is building elsewhere, too. The amount of LNG off European shores has hit 1.2m tonnes, according to Kpler, a data firm, up from 140,000 in August. At least the crews have beautiful weather in which to relax. Across Europe, temperatures are unseasonably warm: southern Spain is still seeing days above 30°C.