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Natural Gas Monthly Contacts
Natural Gas
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Natural Gas Monthly
Data for May 2018 | Release Date: July 31, 2018 | Next Release: August 31, 2018 | full report
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Natural Gas Monthly Contacts
Highlights
May 2018
- In May 2018, for the 12th consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year to year for the same month a year ago. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in May 2018 was 2,491 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 80.4 Bcf/day. This level was 8.6 Bcf/day (12.0%) higher than the May 2017 level of 71.8 Bcf/day. The average daily rate of dry natural gas production for May was the highest for any month since EIA began tracking monthly dry production in 1973.
- The estimated natural gas consumption level in May 2018 was 2,044 Bcf, or 65.9 Bcf/day. This level was 7.8% (4.8 Bcf/day) higher than the 1,896 Bcf consumed in May 2017. 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 2018 decreased in two of the four consuming sectors but increased in the other two sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in May 2018 were:
- Residential deliveries: 168 Bcf, or 5.4 Bcf/day, down 16.0% from 6.5 Bcf/day in May 2017. Residential deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2012.
- Commercial deliveries: 162 Bcf, or 5.2 Bcf/day, down 9.5% from 5.8 Bcf/day in May 2017. Commercial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2015.
- Industrial deliveries: 658 Bcf, or 21.2 Bcf/day, up 5.3% from 20.2 Bcf/day in May 2017. Industrial deliveries were the highest for the month since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001. May was the 13th month in a row that industrial deliveries set a new high for the given month.
- Electric power deliveries: 851 Bcf, or 27.5 Bcf/day, up 20.5% from 22.8 Bcf/day in May 2017. Electric power deliveries were the highest for the month since 2001, when EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors.
- Natural gas net imports (imports minus exports) were minus 43 Bcf, or minus 1.4 Bcf/day, in May 2018, making the United States a net exporter. Total imports were 7.4 Bcf/day, a decrease of 6.1% from the 7.9 Bcf/day in May 2017. Total exports were 8.8 Bcf/day, an increase of 7.5% from the 8.2 Bcf/day in May 2017. The increase in exports continues to be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG exports in May 2018 were 55.7% higher than in May 2017. In May 2018, the United States exported 3.1 Bcf/day of LNG to 15 countries.