Highlights



July 2017

• This issue contains extensive revisions to data for 2015, 2016, and year-to-date 2017 as a result of benchmarking to annual data published in the Natural Gas Annual 2016 (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 provided in Appendix C of the Natural Gas Monthly (NGM).
• In July 2017, for the second 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 July 2017 was 2,278 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 73.5 Bcf/day. This level was 0.4 Bcf/day (0.5%) higher than the July 2016 level of 73.1 Bcf/day.
• The estimated natural gas consumption level in July 2017 was 2,111 Bcf, or 68.1 Bcf/day. This level was a decrease of 3.7%, or 2.6 Bcf/day, from the 2,193 Bcf consumed in July 2016. Despite this decrease, natural gas consumption for July was the second highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly consumption using the current methodology in 2001.
• Year-over-year total consumption of dry natural gas in July 2017 increased in three of the four consuming sectors, with the exception being electric power deliveries, which decreased year-over-year. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in July 2017 were as follows:
  
  • Residential deliveries in July 2017 were 107.6 Bcf, or 3.5 Bcf/day, up 1.2% from 3.4 Bcf/day in July 2016. Residential deliveries were the third lowest for July since EIA began tracking them in 1973.
  • Commercial deliveries were relatively flat from July 2016, increasing only 0.04% to 134.48 Bcf, or 4.3 Bcf/day, in July 2017.
  • Industrial deliveries were 624 Bcf, or 20.1 Bcf/day, up 1.3% from 19.9 Bcf/day in July 2016. Industrial deliveries were the highest for July since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors introduced in 2001.
  • Electric power deliveries were 1,052 Bcf, or 33.9 Bcf/day, down 7.9% from 36.8 Bcf/day in July 2016.
• Natural gas net imports (imports minus exports) were 2 Bcf in July 2017. Total imports were 8.1 Bcf/day, a decrease of 5.5% from the 8.5 Bcf/day in July 2016. Total exports were 8.0 Bcf/day, an increase of 31.7% from the 6.1 Bcf/day in July 2016. The increase in exports continues to be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG exports in July 2017 were 241% higher than in July 2016. In July 2017, the U.S. exported 1.7 Bcf/day of LNG to 10 different countries.