August 2021

  • In August 2021, dry natural gas production increased year over year for the month, for the fifth consecutive month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in August 2021 was 2,948 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 95.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). This level was 5.2 Bcf/d (5.8%) higher than the August 2020 level of 89.9 Bcf/d. Both gross withdrawals and marketed production also increased from August 2020:
      • Gross withdrawals: 3,557 Bcf for the month, or 114.7 Bcf/d
        • Up 6.2% compared with 108.1 Bcf/d in August 2020

        • • Highest for the month since we began tracking gross withdrawals in 1980

        • • Louisiana (9.3 Bcf/d) saw its highest daily rate of gross withdrawals for any month since we began using the current methodology for gross withdrawals in the state in 1997
        • • New Mexico (6.8 Bcf/d), Pennsylvania (21.8 Bcf/d), and West Virginia (7.8 Bcf/d) each saw their highest daily rate of gross withdrawals since we began tracking them in 1991
      • Marketed production: 3,199 Bcf for the month, or 103.2 Bcf/d
        • Up 6.2% compared with 97.2 Bcf/d in August 2020

        • • Highest for the month since we began tracking marketed production in 1973

        • • Louisiana (9.3 Bcf/d) saw its highest marketed production for any month since we began using the current methodology for marketed production in the state in 1997
        • • New Mexico (6.6 Bcf/d) and West Virginia (7.8 Bcf/d) saw their highest daily rate of marketed production since we began tracking their monthly marketed production in 1989
      • • Pennsylvania (21.8 Bcf/d) saw its highest daily rate of marketed production for any month since we began tracking its production in 1991
  • Estimated natural gas consumption in August 2021 was 2,407 Bcf, or 77.65 Bcf/d. This level was 0.2 Bcf/d (0.2%) higher than the August 2020 level of 77.45 Bcf/d. Natural gas consumption was the second highest for the month since we began tracking it in 2001.
  • The year-over-year average daily rate of consumption of dry natural gas in August 2021 increased in two of the four consuming sectors and decreased in the other two. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in August 2021 were as follows:
      • Residential deliveries: 105 Bcf for the month, or 3.4 Bcf/d
        • Down 3.7% compared with 3.5 Bcf/d in August 2020
      • Commercial deliveries: 140 Bcf for the month, or 4.5 Bcf/d

        • • Up 6.9% compared with 4.2 Bcf/d in August 2020

      • Industrial deliveries: 662 Bcf for the month, or 21.4 Bcf/d

        • • Up 2.2% compared with 20.9 Bcf/d in August 2020

      • Electric power deliveries: 1,256 Bcf for the month, or 40.5 Bcf/d

        • • Down 1.9% compared with 41.3 Bcf/d in August 2020

  • Net natural gas imports (imports minus exports) were -342 Bcf, or -11.0 Bcf/d, in August 2021, making the United States a net natural gas exporter. The average daily rate of net imports was the lowest for the month since we began tracking imports and exports in 1973, as the United States exported 2.5 times more natural gas than it imported in August 2021. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in August 2021 were more than 2.6 times higher than the daily rate of LNG exported in August 2020. The average daily rate of LNG exports was also the highest for the month since we began tracking LNG in 1997. In August 2021, the United States exported 9.6 Bcf/d of LNG to 29 countries. Natural gas imports and exports in August 2021 were as follows:
    • Total imports: 221 Bcf for the month, or 7.1 Bcf/d
      • Up 4.7% compared with 6.8 Bcf/d in August 2020
    • Total exports: 563 Bcf for the month, or 18.2 Bcf/d
      • Up 56.8% compared with 11.6 Bcf/d in August 2020