Highlights



March 2021

• In March 2021, for the 11th consecutive month, dry natural gas production decreased year over year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in March 2021 was 2,863 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 92.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). This level was 2.2 Bcf/d (-2.3%) lower than the March 2020 level of 94.5 Bcf/d. Despite this year-over-year decrease, the average daily rate of dry production was the second highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly dry production in 1973. Gross withdrawals and marketed production of natural gas in March 2021 were as follows:
  
  • Gross withdrawals: 3,493 Bcf for the month, or 112.7 Bcf/d
    • Down 1.9% compared with 114.9 Bcf/d in March 2020.
  • Marketed production: 3,092 Bcf for the month, or 99.7 Bcf/d
  • Down 2.3% compared with 102.1 Bcf/d in March 2020. Despite this nationwide year-over-year decrease in production, New Mexico (6.0 Bcf/d) saw its highest marketed production for any month since we began tracking its monthly marketed production in 1989.
• Estimated natural gas consumption in March 2021 was 2,608 Bcf, or 84.1 Bcf/d. This level was 3.2 Bcf/d (-3.7%) lower than the 87.4 Bcf/d consumed in March 2020. Natural gas consumption was the lowest for the month since we began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
• The year-over-year average daily rate of consumption of dry natural gas in March 2021 increased in two of the four consuming sectors and decreased in the other two. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in March 2021 were as follows:
  
  • Residential deliveries: 567 Bcf for the month, or 18.3 Bcf/d
    • Up 8.0% compared with 16.9 Bcf/d in March 2020.
  • Commercial deliveries: 353 Bcf for the month, or 11.4 Bcf/d
  • Up 4.7% compared with 10.9 Bcf/d in March 2020.
  • Industrial deliveries: 703 Bcf for the month, or 22.7 Bcf/d
  • Down 2.4% compared with 23.2 Bcf/d in March 2020. Industrial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017.
  • Electric power deliveries: 744 Bcf for the month, or 24.0 Bcf/d
  • Down 15.4% compared with 28.4 Bcf/d in March 2020. Electric power deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017.
• After last month saw record highs for some states’ natural gas prices, especially citygate, electric power, and export prices, prices for March 2021 stabilized in most areas.
  
  • The citygate price for the United States decreased from $12.43 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) in February 2021 to $4.09 per Mcf in March—a 67.1% decline. After reporting record highs in February, Kansas and Oklahoma saw their citygate prices drop 83.8% and 93.6%, respectively, in March.
  • The electric power price for the United States decreased from $16.29 per Mcf in February 2021 to $3.41 per Mcf in March—a 79.1% decline. After reporting record highs in February, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas each saw their citygate prices drop between 83% and 95% in March.
  • The price of U.S. natural gas exports decreased from $12.64 per Mcf in February 2021 to $4.70 per Mcf in March—a 62.8% decline. After reporting a record high in February, the price of natural gas pipeline exports to Mexico dropped from $29.96 per Mcf in February to $2.93 per Mcf in March, a decrease of 90.2%.
• Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -356 Bcf, or -11.5 Bcf/d, in March 2021, making the United States a net natural gas exporter. Net imports were the lowest for any month since we began tracking imports and exports in 1973. Natural gas imports and exports in March 2021 were as follows:
  
  • Total imports: 235 Bcf for the month, or 7.6 Bcf/d
    • Up 10.3% compared with 6.9 Bcf/d in March 2020.
  • Total exports: 591 Bcf for the month, or 19.1 Bcf/d
    • Up 18.9% compared with 16.0 Bcf/d in March 2020. The average daily rate of natural gas exports was the highest for any month since we began tracking monthly exports in 1973. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in March 2021 were up 30.3% compared with March 2020. The average daily rate of LNG exports was also the highest for any month since we began tracking LNG in 1997. In March 2021, the United States exported 10.3 Bcf/d of LNG to 31 countries.