Natural Gas

Highlights



January 2018

• In January 2018, for the eighth 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 January 2018 was 2,400 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 77.4 Bcf/day. This level was 6.8 Bcf/day (9.6%) higher than the January 2017 level of 70.6 Bcf/day. The average daily rate of dry natural gas production for January was the highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly dry production in 1973.
• The estimated natural gas consumption level in January 2018 was 3,317 Bcf, or 107.0 Bcf/day. This level was 14.4% (13.5 Bcf/day) higher than the 2,899 Bcf consumed in January 2017. Natural gas consumption for January was the highest level for any month since 2001, when EIA began tracking monthly consumption using the current methodology.
• Year-over-year total consumption of dry natural gas in January 2018 increased in each of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in January 2018 were as follows:
  
  • Residential deliveries in January 2018 were 974 Bcf, or 31.4 Bcf/day, up 17.1% from 26.8 Bcf/day in January 2017. Residential deliveries were the highest for January since 2014.
  • Commercial deliveries in January 2018 were 548 Bcf, or 17.7 Bcf/day, up 13.9% from 15.5 Bcf/day in January 2017. Commercial deliveries were the highest for January since 2014.
  • Industrial deliveries were 769 Bcf, or 24.8 Bcf/day, up 5.2% from 23.6 Bcf/day in January 2017. Industrial deliveries were the highest for any month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
  • Electric power deliveries were 795 Bcf, or 25.6 Bcf/day, up 22.9% from 20.9 Bcf/day in January 2017. Electric power deliveries were the highest for January since 2001, when EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors.
• For the first time since EIA began tracking natural gas net imports (imports minus exports) in 1973, total imports and total exports were equal at the million cubic feet (MMcf) level in January 2018. Total imports were 9.8 Bcf/day, an increase of 3.8% from the 9.4 Bcf/day in January 2017. Total exports were also 9.8 Bcf/day, an increase of 11.4% from the 8.8 Bcf/day in January 2017. The increase in exports continues to be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG exports in January 2018 were 41.2% higher than in January 2017. In January 2018, the United States exported 2.3 Bcf/day of LNG to 12 different countries.