EIA: U.S. set new records in gas production, consumption and gross exports in 2019

Washington, October 6 - Neftegaz.RU. The United States hits new natural gas highs, in 2019 dry gas production increased by 10 %, reaching a record-high average of 93.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). U.S. natural gas consumption increased by 3 %, led by greater use of natural gas in the electric power sector.

Natural gas gross exports increased 29 % to 12.8 Bcf/d, EIA said. Increased use of natural gas by the electric power sector drove U.S. natural gas consumption growth. The electric power sector consumed 7 % more natural gas in 2019 than in 2018.

Electric power sector consumption grew largely because of favorable gas prices and ongoing coal plant retirements. Gas consumption in all other sectors was relatively unchanged.

As U.S. gas production increased, the volume of gas exports, both through pipelines and as LNG, increased. The increase came for the 5th consecutive year. The annual average reached 12.8 Bcf/d.

U.S. LNG exports accounted for most of this increase, EIA noted in its report. The United States continued to export more gas than it imported in 2019. Net gas exports averaged 5.2 Bcf/d.

In 2019, the U.S. also exported more gas by pipeline than it imported. This happened for the 1st time since at least 1985 (the earliest year in EIA’s gas pipeline trade data). The increase was mainly because of increased pipeline capacity to send gas to Canada and Mexico.

In 2019, dry gas production increased by 10 %, reaching a record high of 93.1 Bcf/d. This increase was the 2nd-largest volumetric increase since at least 1930 and 2nd only to last year’s increase.

The 2 largest gas-producing states, Texas and Pennsylvania, also had the 2 largest increases in gas production in 2019. Texas annual average dry gas production increased 15 %, from 19.3 Bcf/d in 2018 to 22.2 Bcf/d in 2019. Pennsylvania’s gas production increased 10 %, from 16.9 Bcf/d in 2018 to 18.6 Bcf/d in 2019.

Wyoming gas production decreased 11 %, from 4.3 Bcf/d in 2018 to 3.9 Bcf/d in 2019. This decrease was the largest year-on-year decline of any state in 2019.