United States sets record for natural gas consumption, production, exports in 2019

The United States set new records in natural gas production, consumption, and gross exports in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Natural Gas annual report shows.

U.S. natural gas consumption rose 3 percent, driven by increased natural gas use in the electric power sector. The electric power sector consumed 7 percent more natural gas in 2019 than the previous year due primarily to favorable natural gas prices and ongoing coal plant retirements.

Dry natural gas production increased by 10 percent in 2019 to a record-high average of 93.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). This was the second-largest volumetric increase since at least 1930. The two largest natural gas-producing states, Texas and Pennsylvania, saw the biggest spikes in natural gas production in 2019. Texas’ annual average dry natural gas production increased 15 percent to 22.2 Bcf/d in 2019, while Pennsylvania’s natural gas production increased 10 percent to 18.6 Bcf/d last year. Wyoming had the largest natural gas production decrease, dropping 11 percent to 3.9 Bcf/d in 2019.

Finally, natural gas gross exports — both through pipelines and as liquefied natural gas (LNG) — were up 29 percent to 12.8 Bcf/d last year in 2019. This is the fifth straight year that exports have risen. The country continued to export more natural gas than it imported in 2019. But it was the first time that the United States exported more natural gas by pipeline than it imported since at least 1985.