Natural Gas

Highlights



March 2018

• In March 2018, for the tenth consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year-to-year from the same month a year ago. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in March 2018 was 2,467 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 79.6 Bcf/day. This level was 8.0 Bcf/day (11.2%) higher than the March 2017 level of 71.6 Bcf/day. The average daily rate of dry natural gas production for March was the highest for any month since EIA began tracking monthly dry production in 1973.
• The estimated natural gas consumption level in March 2018 was 2,756 Bcf, or 88.9 Bcf/day. This level was 9.1% (7.4 Bcf/day) higher than the 2,526 Bcf consumed in March 2017. Natural gas consumption for March was the highest level for the month since 2001, when EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors.
• Year-over-year total consumption of dry natural gas in March 2018 increased in each of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in March 2018 were as follows:
  
  • Residential deliveries in March 2018 were 650 Bcf, or 21.0 Bcf/day, up 11.7% from 18.8 Bcf/day in March 2017. Residential deliveries were the highest for the month since 2014.
  • Commercial deliveries in March 2018 were 411 Bcf, or 13.3 Bcf/day, up 10.2% from 12.0 Bcf/day in March 2017. Commercial deliveries were the highest for the month since 2014.
  • Industrial deliveries were 731 Bcf, or 23.6 Bcf/day, up 5.8% from 22.3 Bcf/day in March 2017. Industrial deliveries were the highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001. This was the eleventh month in a row that industrial deliveries set a new high for the given month.
  • Electric power deliveries were 743 Bcf, or 24.0 Bcf/day, up 9.4% from 21.9 Bcf/day in March 2017. Electric power deliveries were the second highest for March since 2001, when EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors.
• Natural gas net imports (imports minus exports) were minus 17.0 Bcf, or minus 0.5 Bcf/day, in March 2018, meaning that the United States was a net exporter. Total imports were 8.7 Bcf/day, a decrease of 3.9% from the 9.1 Bcf/day in March 2017. Total exports were 9.3 Bcf/day, an increase of 5.5% from the 8.8 Bcf/day in March 2017. The increase in exports continues to be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG exports in March 2018 were more than twice the level in March 2017. In March 2018, the United States exported 3.0 Bcf/day of LNG to 14 different countries..