U.S. reports gas production, consumption and exports climb

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Dry natural gas production in March reached 95 Bcf/d, 2.9% higher than the previous year and the second-highest level for the month since 1973, when the U.S. Energy Information Administration began tracking natural gas production data.

The total for March, which was released recently in the agency’s monthly overview, was the 12th consecutive month that production had increased from the prior year.

Gross withdrawals reached 116.6 Bcf/d, up 3.8% from one year ago. Estimated consumption for the month was 89.2 Bcf/d, up 5.7% from the previous year. All four sectors of consumers reported an increase in demand from the previous year. The largest component, electric power deliveries, reached 25.3 Bcf/d, up 4.1% from a year earlier.

Residential deliveries, consumed about 19.1 Bcf/d, up 4.2% from a year ago. Commercial deliveries of gas were 12.5 Bcf/d, up 9% from one year earlier. Industrial deliveries 24.1 Bcf/d, up 7.2%, the EIA reported.

Net exports (exports minus imports) were 12.2 Bcf/d in March, the highest since the agency began tracking imports and exports in 1973. Net exports included total exports of 20.6 Bcf/d and total imports of 8.4 Bcf/d. Exports of LNG were 13.4% higher than one year earlier.

Most of those exports were from LNG terminals, which sent 11.7 Bcf/d of LNG to 28 countries.