U.S. natural gas consumption to decline through 2022, led by the electric power sector
In EIA’s September Short-Term Energy Outlook, we expect U.S. consumption of natural gas to decline in 2021 and 2022 from 2020 levels. We forecast that consumption of natural gas will decline in all end-use sectors in the United States except in the industrial sector and for other non-sector-specific uses (lease and plant fuel, pipeline and distribution use, and vehicle use). The largest decline will occur in the electric power sector. We expect total U.S. consumption of natural gas to average 82.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2021, down 0.7 Bcf/d from 2020. We expect U.S. natural gas consumption in 2022 to increase slightly from 2021 as increasing consumption in the industrial sector offsets declining consumption in the electric power sector, but still remains lower than the 2020 level.
In 2019, U.S. inflation-adjusted energy expenditures fell 5%
U.S. energy expenditures, or the amount of money spent by consumers to purchase energy, fell to $1.2 trillion in 2019, down 5% in real terms compared with 2018, according to the latest data in our State Energy Data System (SEDS). From 2018 to 2019, total energy consumption in the United States fell 1%, and average total energy prices, adjusted for inflation, fell 5%, contributing to the decline in total energy expenditures.
Number of drilled but uncompleted wells declines
Based on our latest Drilling Productivity Report (DPR), 5,957 drilled but uncompleted wells (DUCs) were in the United States in all DPR regions in July 2021, the lowest for any month since November 2017. The decline in DUCs in most major U.S. onshore oil-producing regions, especially in the Permian region, reflects more well completions and, at the same time, less new well drilling activity. The completion of more wells is increasing oil production in the Permian region, but the completions are reducing the DUC inventories, which could limit oil production growth in the United States in the coming months.
Tags: natural gas, wells, liquid fuels, crude oil, oil/petroleum, drilling, Permian
Hydropower made up 66% of Brazil’s electricity generation in 2020
Brazil largely relies on hydropower for electricity generation; in 2020, hydropower supplied 66% of its electricity demand. Wind and solar generation have grown quickly in recent years and had a combined 11% share of the country’s electricity generation in 2020. Biomass accounted for an 8% share. Fossil fuel-fired plants made up another 12% of electricity generation, while nuclear power accounted for 2%.
Pre-Labor Day retail gasoline prices at highest level since 2014
On August 30, 2021, the Monday before Labor Day weekend, the U.S. retail price of regular gasoline averaged $3.15 per gallon (gal), an increase of 92 cents/gal (42%) compared with the same time in 2020, according to our Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. Pre-Labor Day gasoline prices have increased to their highest levels since 2014.
U.S. solar photovoltaic module shipments up 33% in 2020
Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, U.S shipments of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules (also referred to as solar panels) reached a record high of 21.8 million peak kilowatts (kW) in 2020, 5.4 million peak kW more than in 2019.
Tags: residential, exports/imports, solar, capacity
Shale natural gas production in the Appalachian Basin sets records in first half of 2021
Dry natural gas production from shale formations in the Appalachian Basin that spans Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio has been growing since 2008, and monthly production has recently set new record highs. Production in the region reached 32.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in December 2020, and it averaged 31.9 Bcf/d during the first half of 2021, the highest average for a six-month period since production began in 2008. The Appalachian Basin contains two shale formations, Marcellus and Utica, which accounted for 34% of all U.S. dry natural gas production in the first half of 2021. On its own, the Appalachian Basin would have been the third-largest natural gas producer in the world the first half of 2021, behind Russia and the rest of the United States.
Tags: production/supply, natural gas, shale, pipelines
Six U.S. states accounted for over half of the primary energy produced in 2019
In 2019, the top six primary energy-producing states—Texas, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and North Dakota—accounted for 55 quadrillion British thermal units (quads), or 55% of all of the primary energy produced in the United States. In 2000, these six states had accounted for 39% of the nation’s primary energy production, indicating that primary energy production has become more concentrated to the top producing states.
EIA’s mapping system and data series show energy infrastructure near Hurricane Ida
We posted this article on Friday, August 27, at 4:00 p.m. ET, and it will remain posted through Monday, August 30.
Hurricane Ida is approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast region—home to key U.S. energy infrastructure—and is expected to make landfall on Sunday, August 29. Hurricane Ida could affect energy supply and demand, including transportation fuels, natural gas and natural gas exports, and electricity. Our U.S. Energy Atlas and Energy Disruptions Map show storm-related geographic data (also referred to as map layers) from the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service and map layers for energy-related infrastructure such as high-voltage transmission lines, power plants, and petroleum bulk terminals.
Tags: weather, disruption
68% of U.S. coal fleet retirements since 2011 were plants fueled by bituminous coal
In 2011, the United States had 317.6 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired electric generation capacity. About 88.7 GW of that capacity was retired in the decade that followed. Units fired by bituminous coal accounted for the largest share of retired capacity, at 68%.
Tags: generation, coal, electricity, retirements, power plants