EIA releases natural gas data through October 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The December Natural Gas Monthly, with data through October 2017, has been released.

• In October 2017, for the fifth consecutive month, dry natural gas production increased year-to-year from the same month a year ago. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in October 2017 was 2,329 Bcf, or 75.1 Bcfd. This level was 3.7 Bcfd (5.2%) higher than the October 2016 level of 71.4 Bcfd. Dry natural gas production for October was the highest for the month since EIA began tracking monthly dry production in 1973.
• The estimated natural gas consumption level in October 2017 was 2,035 Bcf, or 65.6 Bcfd. This level was 5.7% (3.5 Bcfd) higher than the 1,926 Bcf consumed in October 2016. Natural gas consumption for October was the highest level for the month since EIA began tracking monthly consumption using the current methodology in 2001.
• Year-over-year total consumption of dry natural gas in October 2017 increased in each of the four consuming sectors. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in October 2017 were as follows:

o   Residential deliveries in October 2017 were 203 Bcf, or 6.5 Bcfd, up 8.6% from 6.0 Bcfd in October 2016. Residential deliveries were the highest for October since 2014.

o   Commercial deliveries in October 2017 were 200 Bcf, or 6.5 Bcfd, up 4.7% from 6.2 Bcfd in October 2016. Commercial deliveries were the highest for October since 2014.

o   Industrial deliveries were 653 Bcf, or 21.1 Bcfd, up 5.0% from 20.1 Bcfd in October 2016. Industrial deliveries were the highest for October since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.

o   Electric power deliveries were 784 Bcf, or 25.3 Bcfd, up 5.8% from 23.9 Bcfd in October 2016. Electric power deliveries were the second-highest level for October since EIA began using the current definitions for consuming sectors in 2001.

• Natural gas net imports (imports minus exports) were -45.3 Bcf, or -1.5 Bcfd, in October 2017. Total imports were 7.4 Bcfd, a decrease of -0.7% from the 7.5 Bcfd in October 2016. Total exports were 8.9 Bcfd, an increase of 56.3% from the 5.7 Bcfd in October 2016. The increase in exports continues to be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG exports in October 2017 were more than 25 times higher than in October 2016. In October 2017, the United States exported 2.6 Bcfd of LNG to 10 different countries.

Monthly Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production
These monthly production estimates are based on data from the EIA-914, Monthly Crude Oil, Lease Condensate, and Natural Gas Production Report.