Highlights



• In October 2021, dry natural gas production increased year over year for the month for the seventh consecutive month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in October 2021 was 2,963 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 95.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). This level was 6.3 Bcf/d (7.1%) higher than October 2020 (89.3 Bcf/d) and the second highest for the month since 1973, when we began tracking dry natural gas production. Both gross withdrawals and marketed production also increased from October 2020:
  
  • Gross withdrawals: 3,595 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 116.0 Bcf/d
    • A 6.9% increase compared with October 2020 (108.5 Bcf/d)
  • Highest monthly gross withdrawals since 1980, the earliest year in this data set
  
  • Louisiana (9.8 Bcf/d) again reached its highest daily rate of gross withdrawals for any month since 1997, when we began using the current methodology for calculating gross withdrawals in the state.
  • New Mexico (6.9 Bcf/d) reached its highest daily rate of gross withdrawals for any month since 1991, the earliest year in this data set.
  • California (0.37 Bcf/d) had its lowest daily rate of gross withdrawals for any month since 1991, the earliest year in this data set.
  • Marketed production: 3,220 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 103.9 Bcf/d
    • A 7.6% increase compared with October 2020 (96.5 Bcf/d)
    
    • Louisiana (9.8 Bcf/d) reached its highest daily rate of marketed production for any month since 1997, when we began using the current methodology for calculating marketed production in the state.
    • New Mexico (6.8 Bcf/d) reached its highest daily rate of marketed production for any month since 1989, when we began collecting its monthly marketed production.
    • Despite the national increase year over year, California (0.37 Bcf/d) had its lowest daily rate of marketed production for any month since 1989, when we began collecting these data.
• Estimated natural gas consumption in October 2021 was 2,238 Bcf, or 72.2 Bcf/d. This level was 2.6 Bcf/d (3.5%) lower than in October 2020 (74.8 Bcf/d). Natural gas consumption was the lowest for any October since 2017.
• The year-over-year average daily rate of consumption of dry natural gas in October 2021 decreased in each of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas likewise decreased across all consuming sectors in October 2021:
  
  • Residential deliveries: 191 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 6.2 Bcf/d
    • A 21.1% decrease compared with October 2020 (7.8 Bcf/d)
    
  • Residential deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2016
  • Commercial deliveries: 195 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 6.3 Bcf/d
  • A 6.7% decrease compared with October 2020 (6.7 Bcf/d)
  •Commercial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2016
  • Industrial deliveries: 670 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 21.6 Bcf/d
  • A 2.3% decrease compared with October 2020 (22.1 Bcf/d)
  • Industrial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017
  
  • Electric power deliveries: 943 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 30.4 Bcf/d
  • A 1.2% decrease compared with October 2020 (30.8 Bcf/d)
  • Despite the year-over-year decrease, electric power deliveries were the second highest for the month since we began using the current methodology for electric power deliveries in 2001
  

• Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -317 Bcf, or -10.2 Bcf/d, in October 2021, making the United States a net natural gas exporter. The United States exported 2.4 times more natural gas than it imported in October 2021, making the average daily rate of net imports the lowest for any October since 1973, when we began collecting natural gas import and export data. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in October 2021 were 33.6% higher than the daily rate of LNG exported in October 2020. The average daily rate of LNG exports was also the highest for any October since 1997, when we began collecting LNG data. In October 2021, the United States exported 9.6 Bcf/d of LNG to 26 countries. Natural gas imports and exports both increased in October 2021:
  
  • Total imports: 228 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 7.4 Bcf/d
    • A 14.6% increase compared with October 2020 (6.4 Bcf/d)
  • Total exports: 545 Bcf for the month, or 17.6 Bcf/d
    • A 13.1% increase compared with October 2020 (15.5 Bcf/d)