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Natural Gas Monthly Contacts
Natural Gas
‹ SEE CURRENT NATURAL GAS MONTHLY Report
Natural Gas Monthly
Data for May 2019 | Release Date: July 31, 2019 | Next Release: August 30, 2019 | full report
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Natural Gas Monthly Contacts
Highlights
May 2019
- In May 2019, for the 25th consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year to year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in May 2019 was 2,786 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 89.9 Bcf/d. This level was 8.5 Bcf/d (10.5%) higher than the May 2018 level of 81.3 Bcf/d.
- The estimated natural gas consumption in May 2019 was 2,106 Bcf, or 67.9 Bcf/d. This level was 1.9 Bcf/d (2.9%) higher than the 66.0 Bcf/d consumed in May 2018. Natural gas consumption for May 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 May 2019 increased in three of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in May 2019 were:
- Residential deliveries: 212 Bcf, or 6.8 Bcf/d, which was up 26.2% compared with 5.4 Bcf/d in May 2018. Residential deliveries were the highest for the month since 2008.
- Commercial deliveries: 185 Bcf, or 6.0 Bcf/d, which was up 14.2% compared with 5.2 Bcf/d in May 2018. Commercial deliveries were the highest for the month since 2002.
- Industrial deliveries: 667 Bcf, or 21.5 Bcf/d, which was up 1.1% compared with 21.3 Bcf/d in May 2018. Industrial deliveries were the highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
- Electric power deliveries: 822 Bcf, or 26.5 Bcf/d, which was down 3.6% compared with 27.5 Bcf/d in May 2018. Despite this decrease, electric power deliveries were the second highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
- Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -160 Bcf, or -5.2 Bcf/d, in May 2019, making the United States a net exporter. Total imports were 6.7 Bcf/d, a decrease of 8.4% compared with 7.3 Bcf/d in May 2018. Total exports were 11.8 Bcf/d, an increase of 34.9% compared with 8.8 Bcf/d in May 2018. Natural gas exports were the second highest for any month since EIA began tracking monthly exports in 1973. The increase in exports continues to be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG exports in May 2019 were 52.6% higher than in May 2018. In May 2019, the United States exported 4.7 Bcf/d of LNG to 20 countries. The average daily rate of LNG exports was the highest for any month since EIA began tracking them in 1997.