September 2021

  • In September 2021, dry natural gas production increased year over year for the month for the sixth consecutive month. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in September 2021 was 2,815 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 93.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). This level was 3.9 Bcf/d (4.3%) higher than September 2020 (90.0 Bcf/d). Both gross withdrawals and marketed production also increased from September 2020:
        • Gross withdrawals: 3,418 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 113.9 Bcf/d
          • A 4.7% increase compared with September 2020 (108.8 Bcf/d)

      • Highest monthly gross withdrawals since 1980, the earliest year in this data set

        • • Louisiana (9.6 Bcf/d) again reached its highest daily rate of gross withdrawals for any month since 1997, when we began using the current methodology for calculating gross withdrawals in the state.
        • • New Mexico (6.9 Bcf/d) reached its highest daily rate of gross withdrawals since 1991, the earliest year in this data set.
      • • Despite the national increase year over year, California (0.4 Bcf/d) had its lowest daily rate of gross withdrawals for any month since 1991, the earliest year in this data set.
    • Marketed production: 3,055 Bcf for the month or a daily rate of 101.8 Bcf/d
      • A 4.7% increase compared with September 2020 (97.3 Bcf/d)

        • • Louisiana (9.6 Bcf/d) reached its highest daily rate of marketed production for any month since 1997, when we began using the current methodology for calculating marketed production in the state.
        • • New Mexico (6.8 Bcf/d) reached its highest daily rate of marketed production since 1989, when we began collecting its monthly marketed production.
        • Despite the national increase year over year, California (0.4 Bcf/d) had its lowest daily rate of marketed production for any month since 1989, when we began collecting these data.
  • Estimated natural gas consumption in September 2021 was 2,109 Bcf, or 70.3 Bcf/d. This level was 2.1 Bcf/d (2.9%) lower than in September 2020 (72.4 Bcf/d). Natural gas consumption was the lowest for any September since 2017.
  • The year-over-year average daily rate of consumption of dry natural gas in September 2021 decreased in three of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in September 2021 were:
        • Residential deliveries: 116 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 3.9 Bcf/d
          • An 8.7% decrease compared with September 2020 (4.2 Bcf/d)
        • Commercial deliveries: 148 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 4.9 Bcf/d

      • A 2.8% increase compared with September 2020 (4.8 Bcf/d)

        • • Commercial deliveries were the highest for the month since 2014

        • Industrial deliveries: 624 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 20.8 Bcf/d

      • A 3.0% decrease compared with September 2020 (21.4 Bcf/d)

      • • Industrial deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017
        • Electric power deliveries: 995 Bcf for the month, or a daily rate of 33.2 Bcf/d

      • A 4.1% decrease compared with September 2020 (34.6 Bcf/d)

      • • Electric power deliveries were the lowest for the month since 2017
  • 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