Natural Gas

Highlights



July 2020

• This issue contains extensive revisions to data for 2017, 2018, 2019, and year-to-date 2020 because of benchmarking to annual data published in the Natural Gas Annual 2019 (NGA). These revisions primarily apply to statistics on production, underground storage, consumption, and prices by sector. A detailed description of the revisions and benchmarking process is in Appendix C of the Natural Gas Monthly (NGM).
• In July 2020, for the third consecutive month, dry natural gas production decreased year over year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in July 2020 was 2,781 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 89.7 Bcf/d. This level was 2.8 Bcf/d (-3.1%) lower than the July 2019 level of 92.5 Bcf/d. Despite this year-over-year decrease, the average daily rate of dry production was the second highest for the month since the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) began tracking monthly dry production in 1973.
• Estimated natural gas consumption in July 2020 was 2,495 Bcf, or 80.5 Bcf/d. This level was 2.7 Bcf/d (3.5%) higher than the 77.7 Bcf/d consumed in July 2019. The average daily rate of natural gas consumption for July 2020 was the highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
• The year-over-year average daily rate of consumption of dry natural gas in July 2020 increased in two of the four consuming sectors, and it decreased in the other two. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in July 2020 were as follows:
  
  • Residential deliveries: 118 Bcf for the month, or 3.8 Bcf/d
    • Up 5.4% compared with 3.6 Bcf/d in July 2019. Residential deliveries were the highest for the month since 2009.
  • Commercial deliveries: 129 Bcf for the month, or 4.2 Bcf/d
  • Down 9.2% compared with 4.6 Bcf/d in July 2019. Commercial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2012.
  • Industrial deliveries: 641 Bcf for the month, or 20.7 Bcf/d
  • Down 1.4% compared with 21.0 Bcf/d in July 2019. Industrial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017.
  • Electric power deliveries: 1,374 Bcf for the month, or 44.3 Bcf/d
  • Up 7.9% compared with 41.1 Bcf/d in July 2019. Electric power deliveries were the highest for any month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
• Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -122 Bcf, or -3.9 Bcf/d, in July 2020, making the United States a net exporter. Natural gas imports and exports in July 2020 were as follows:
  
  • Total imports: 213 Bcf for the month, or 6.9 Bcf/d
    • Down 7.4% compared with 7.4 Bcf/d in July 2019. The average daily rate of natural gas imports was the lowest for the month since 2014.
  • Total exports: 335 Bcf for the month, or 10.8 Bcf/d/li>• Down 14.8% compared with 12.7 Bcf/d in July 2019, the second consecutive month with a year-over-year decrease. Despite this year-over-year decrease, the average daily rate of natural gas exports was the second highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly exports in 1973. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in July 2020 were down 47.8% compared with July 2019, as global LNG suppliers have continued to reduce shipments in response to a decline in LNG demand worldwide. In July 2020, the United States exported 2.6 Bcf/d of LNG to 20 countries.