Definitions, Sources and Explanatory Notes

 Category:   Natural Gas Imports & Exports/Pipelines
 Topic:   U.S. Imports by Country

  Definitions

Key Terms Definition
Imports Natural Gas received in the Continental United States (including Alaska) from a foreign country.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Natural gas (primarily methane) that has been liquefied by reducing its temperature to -260 degrees Fahrenheit at atmospheric pressure.
Pipeline A continuous pipe conduit, complete with such equipment as valves, compressor stations, communications systems, and meters, for transporting natural and/or supplemental gas from one point to another, usually from a point in or beyond the producing field or processing plant to another pipeline or to points of use. Also refers to a company operating such facilities.

For definitions of related energy terms, refer to the EIA Energy Glossary.

  Sources

1994 and earlier years: EIA, Form FPC-14, "Annual Report for Importers and Exporters of Natural Gas." 1995 to 1998: "Quarterly Natural Gas Import and Export Sales and Price Report" , and EIA estimates of dry natural gas imports. Estimated pipeline data are taken from data the National Energy Board of Canada plus EIA estimates. 1999 to Current: Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Natural Gas Imports and Exports.

  Explanatory Notes

  		• EIA reduced the reported volume of gas imported by pipeline from Canada by the amount of natural gas liquids removed from the saturated natural gas carried by Alliance Pipeline. Alliance Pipeline moves saturated natural gas from the Canadian border at Sherwood, ND, to the Aux Sable processing plant in Illinois. EIA adjusted the Alliance import volumes to remove volumes of natural gas liquids reported by Alliance. The import volumes of dry natural gas are then comparable with other volumes of pipeline imports.
  		• For the "Other" area the point of origin for volumes of imported LNG was unassigned in the reports to the Office of Fossil Energy.
  		• Annual and final monthly data are published from the Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Natural Gas Imports and Exports.
  		• LNG prices are a volume-weighted average of the prices reported by cargo. See the LNG Monthly from the Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, for more information on what is included in the individual LNG prices.