Natural Gas

Highlights



March Natural Gas Monthly, containing data for January 2026

• In January 2026, dry natural gas production increased year over year for the 11th straight month. Preliminary dry natural gas production in January 2026 was 3,366 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 108.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). Production was 4.0% (4.2 Bcf/d) higher in January 2026 than in January 2025 (104.4 Bcf/d). Daily dry natural gas production was the highest for the month of January since 1973, the earliest year in this dataset. Gross withdrawals also increased from January 2025:
• Gross withdrawals: 4,092 Bcf for the month, or 132.0 Bcf/d
• A 4.0% increase compared with January 2025 (126.9 Bcf/d)
• Highest daily rate for the month of January since 1980, the earliest year in this data set
• Estimated natural gas consumption in January 2026 was 3,794 Bcf, or 122.4 Bcf/d
• A 3.3% decrease compared with January 2025 (126.5 Bcf/d)
• Second-highest daily rate of consumption, despite this decrease, for the month of January since 2001, the earliest year in this data set
• The year-over-year average daily rate of dry natural gas consumption in January 2026 decreased in each of the four consuming sectors. Natural gas deliveries by consuming sector in January 2026 were:
• Residential deliveries: 975 Bcf for the month, or 31.5 Bcf/d
• A 5.9% decrease compared with January 2025 (33.4 Bcf/d)
• Commercial deliveries: 589 Bcf for the month, or 19.0 Bcf/d
• A 3.4% decrease compared with January 2025 (19.7 Bcf/d)
• Second-highest daily rate of commercial deliveries, despite this decrease, for the month of January since 1973, the earliest year in this data set
• Industrial deliveries: 812 Bcf for the month, or 26.2 Bcf/d
• A 1.9% decrease compared with January 2025 (26.7 Bcf/d)
• Second-highest daily rate of industrial deliveries, despite this decrease, for the month of January since 2001, the earliest year in this data set
• Electric power deliveries: 1,093 Bcf for the month, or 35.3 Bcf/d
• A 2.8% decrease compared with January 2025 (36.3 Bcf/d)
• Net natural gas exports (exports minus imports) were 494 Bcf, or 15.9 Bcf/d, in January 2026. This net export volume was the highest for the month of January since we began tracking net trade in 1973. The United States exported 2.5 times more natural gas than it imported in January 2026 as natural gas imports and exports both increased year over year:
• Total natural gas imports: 340 Bcf for the month, or 11.0 Bcf/d
• A 1.2% increase compared with January 2025 (10.8 Bcf/d)
• Highest rate of natural gas imports for any month since February 2011
• Total natural gas exports: 833 Bcf for the month, or 26.9 Bcf/d
• A 20.0% increase compared with January 2025 (22.4 Bcf/d)
• Highest daily rate of natural gas exports for the month of January since we began tracking them in 1973
• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports: The daily rate of LNG exports in January 2026 was 29.9% higher than the daily rate in January 2025, the third highest for any month since we began tracking LNG exports in 1997. In January 2026, the United States exported 17.4 Bcf/d of LNG to 29 countries.