U.S. Natural Gas Consumption Hits New High Driven by Power Sector Demand: EIA

U.S. natural consumption rose by 11 percent from 2017 to 2018 due to increased demand for electricity, much of which was fueled by natural gas, according to a Nov. 15 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The U.S. electric power sector has been shifting toward natural gas in the past decade thanks to favorable prices and efficiency gains. The country continues to set new records in production and exports of natural gas, according to the agency. 

• Consumption grew in each end-use sector, but demand as a home heating fuel was greater in 2018 than in 2017 because of slightly colder weather during most of the winter, and record-high temperatures in summer that increased demand for air conditioning and, therefore, electricity. 
• Dry natural gas output reached an average of 83.8 billion cubic feet per day in 2018, which was 12 percent higher than 2017 and the largest percentage increase since 1951. 
• Exports totaled 10.0 Bcf/d last year, 14 percent more than the 2017 total of 8.6 Bcf/d, as new liquefied natural gas export facilities came online. 
• Production growth was concentrated in the Appalachian, Permian, and Haynesville regions;  Pennsylvania and Ohio had the first- and third-largest year-over-year increases for 2018, increasing by 2.0 Bcf/d and 1.7 Bcf/d, respectively.