Natural Gas

Highlights



January 2019

• In January 2019, for the 21st consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year to year for the month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in January 2019 was 2,746 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 88.6 Bcf/d. This level was 10.7 Bcf/d (13.7%) higher than the January 2018 level of 77.9 Bcf/d. The average daily rate of dry natural gas production for January was the second highest for any month since EIA began tracking monthly dry natural gas production in 1973.
• The estimated natural gas consumption level in January 2019 was 3,387 Bcf, or 109.3 Bcf/d. This level was 2.3% (2.5 Bcf/d) higher than the 3,310 Bcf consumed in January 2018. Natural gas consumption for January was the highest level for any month since 2001, when EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors.
• Year-over-year total consumption of dry natural gas in January 2019 increased in three of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in January 2019 were:
  
  • Residential deliveries: 946 Bcf, or 30.5 Bcf/d, which was down 3.1% compared with 31.5 Bcf/d in January 2018.
  • Commercial deliveries: 551 Bcf, or 17.8 Bcf/d, which was up 0.5% compared with 17.7 Bcf/d in January 2018. Commercial deliveries were the second highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
  • Industrial deliveries: 803 Bcf, or 25.9 Bcf/d, which was up 4.2% compared with 24.9 Bcf/d in January 2018. Industrial deliveries were the highest for any month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
  • Electric power deliveries: : 834 Bcf, or 26.9 Bcf/d, which was up 6.2% compared with 25.3 Bcf/d in January 2018. Electric power deliveries were the highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.
• Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -69 Bcf, or -2.2 Bcf/d, in January 2019, making the United States a net exporter. Total imports were 9.5 Bcf/d, a decrease of 3.3% compared with 9.8 Bcf/d in January 2018. Total exports were 11.7 Bcf/d, an increase of 20.6% compared with 9.7 Bcf/d in January 2018. For the third consecutive month, natural gas exports were the 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 January 2019 were 76.4% higher than in January 2018. In January 2019, the United States exported 4.1 Bcf/d of LNG to 15 countries. LNG exports were the highest for any month since EIA began tracking them in 1997.