Highlights



March 2024

• In March 2024, dry natural gas production decreased year over year for the first time since April 2021. Preliminary dry natural gas production in March 2024 was 3,180 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 102.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). Production was 0.3% (0.3 Bcf/d) lower in March 2024 than in March 2023 (102.9 Bcf/d); despite this decrease, dry natural gas production was the second highest for the month since 1973, when we began tracking dry production. Gross withdrawals increased from March 2023:
• Gross withdrawals: 3,875 Bcf for the month, or 125.0 Bcf/d
  • A 0.4% increase compared with March 2023 (124.5 Bcf/d)
• Highest daily rate of gross withdrawals for the month since 1980, the earliest year in this data set

• Estimated natural gas consumption in March 2024 was 2,791 Bcf, or 90.0 Bcf/d
• A 7.4% decrease compared with March 2023 (97.2 Bcf/d)
  
• The year-over-year average daily rate of dry natural gas consumption in March 2024 decreased in each of the four consuming sectors. Natural gas deliveries by consuming sector in March 2024 were:
  
  • Residential deliveries: 509 Bcf for the month, or 16.4 Bcf/d
    • A 19.6% decrease compared with March 2023 (20.4 Bcf/d)
    
  • Lowest residential deliveries for the month since 2016
  
  • Commercial deliveries: 346 Bcf for the month, or 11.2 Bcf/d
    • A 15.2% decrease compared with March 2023 (13.2 Bcf/d)
    
  • Lowest daily rate of commercial deliveries for the month since 2020
  
  • Industrial deliveries: 745 Bcf for the month, or 24.0 Bcf/d
    • A 1.6% decrease compared with March 2023 (24.4 Bcf/d)
    
  • Electric power deliveries: 915 Bcf for the month, or 29.5 Bcf/d
  • A 1.8% decrease compared with March 2023 (30.1 Bcf/d)
  • Despite this decrease, electric power deliveries for the month were the second highest for the month since we began using the current methodology for them in 2001

• Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -427 Bcf, or -13.8 Bcf/d, in March 2024, making the United States a net natural gas exporter. Daily net natural gas imports were the lowest for the month, and the second lowest for any month, since we began tracking them in 1973. The United States exported 2.8 times more natural gas than it imported in March 2024. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in March 2024 were 0.8% higher than the daily rate of LNG exported in March 2023; the daily rate of LNG exports was the highest for the month since we began tracking it in 1997. In March 2024, the United States exported 11.9 Bcf/d of LNG to 31 countries. Natural gas imports declined year over year while exports increased year over year in March 2024:
  
  • Total imports: 241 Bcf for the month, or 7.8 Bcf/d
  • A 3.6% decrease compared with March 2023 (8.1 Bcf/d)
  • Total exports: 668 Bcf for the month, or 21.5 Bcf/d
  • A 2.8% increase compared with March 2023 (21.0 Bcf/d)
  • Highest natural gas exports for the month since we began tracking them in 1973