Natural Gas

Highlights



April 2020

• In April 2020, for the 36th consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year to year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in April 2020 was 2,772 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 92.4 Bcf/d. This level was 2.0 Bcf/d (2.2%) higher than the April 2019 level of 90.4 Bcf/d. The average daily rate of dry production was the highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly dry production in 1973.
• Estimated natural gas consumption in April 2020 was 2,247 Bcf, or 74.9 Bcf/d. This level was 1.5 Bcf/d (2.1%) higher than the 73.4 Bcf/d consumed in April 2019. The average daily rate of natural gas consumption for April 2020 was the second 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 April 2020 increased in two of the four consuming sectors, and decreased in the other two. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in April 2020 were:
  
  • Residential deliveries: 378 Bcf for the month, or 12.6 Bcf/d
    • Up 15.2% compared with 10.9 Bcf/d in April 2019. Residential deliveries were the second highest for the month since 2009.
  • Commercial deliveries: 240 Bcf for the month, or 8.0 Bcf/d
  • Down 3.6% compared with 8.3 Bcf/d in April 2019. Commercial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017.
  • Industrial deliveries: 643 Bcf for the month, or 21.4 Bcf/d
  • Down 4.3% compared with 22.4 Bcf/d in April 2019. Industrial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017.
  • Electric power deliveries: 764 Bcf for the month, or 25.5 Bcf/d
  • Up 3.8% compared with 24.5 Bcf/d in April 2019. Electric power deliveries were the highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
• Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -227 Bcf, or -7.6 Bcf/d, in April 2020, making the United States a net exporter. Natural gas imports and exports in April 2020 were:
  
  • Total imports: 193 Bcf for the month, or 6.4 Bcf/d
    • Down 6.8% compared with 6.9 Bcf/d in April 2019. The average daily rate of natural gas imports was the lowest for the month since 1993.
  • Total exports: 420 Bcf for the month, or 14.0 Bcf/d
  • Up 24.3% compared with 11.3 Bcf/d in April 2019. The average daily rate of natural gas exports was the highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly exports in 1973. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) continues to drive the year-on-year increase in exports. LNG exports in April 2020 were up 65.4% compared with April 2019. In April 2020, the United States exported 7.0 Bcf/d of LNG to 25 countries. The average daily rate of LNG exports was the highest for the month since EIA began tracking these rates in 1997. April 2020 marked the first month since September 1998 in which the United States exported more natural gas as LNG (7.016 Bcf/d) than by pipeline (6.996 Bcf/d).