Diesel consumption falls in China due to reduced economic activity and fuel substitution

Our estimates of diesel consumption in China totaled 3.9 million barrels per day (b/d) in June 2024, a decline of 11% from the same month last year and the largest year-over-year decline in consumption for any month since July 2021.

China’s natural gas consumption, production, and imports all increased in 2023

In 2023, 7%, or 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), more natural gas was consumed in China than in 2022, after a decline of 1.1% in 2022 when economic growth was slower, mainly due to China’s zero-COVID policies, leading to a reduction in natural gas consumption.

U.S. wind generation hit record in April 2024, exceeding coal-fired generation

Electricity generation from wind established a new record in the United States in April, and wind generation exceeded coal-fired generation in both March and April, data from our July 2024 Monthly Energy Review show.

Public company proved oil and natural gas reserves were mostly unchanged in 2023

Global proved crude oil and natural gas reserves held by 175 publicly traded global exploration and production (E&P) companies increased by 2.0 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) in 2023, or about 1%, according to data from the companies’ annual financial reports.

Domestic uranium market will grow between 2023 and 2024

Uranium miners in the United States produced more than 82,000 pounds of uranium concentrate in the first quarter of 2024, more than in all of 2023. Domestic uranium mines produced 50,000 pounds of triuranium octoxide (U₃O₈), also called uranium concentrate, in 2023, a significant decrease from the 194,000 pounds produced in 2022.

What is the outlook for U.S. natural gas inventories at the end of injection season?

In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast that U.S. working natural gas inventories will be 3,954 billion cubic feet (Bcf) by the end of October, the most natural gas in U.S. storage since November 2016. We forecast less-than-average cumulative injections for the rest of the injection season (through October) because inventories were relatively well supplied in March and because we expect more U.S. consumption of natural gas than average this summer and relatively flat natural gas production.

U.S. imports of renewable diesel increased in the early months of 2024

In the first five months of 2024, U.S. imports of renewable diesel averaged 30,000 barrels per day (b/d), approaching the monthly record set in May 2023. Most of the imports (94%) were destined for the U.S. West Coast, where most of the country's renewable diesel is consumed. All U.S. imports came from Neste’s plants in Singapore and Rotterdam.

The most coal is stockpiled at U.S. power plants since 2020

Coal stockpiles at U.S. electric power plants totaled 138 million short tons at the end of May, the most since the first half of 2020 when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced electricity demand and coal consumption.

Canada's crude oil has an increasingly significant role in U.S. refineries

Crude oil imports from Canada have become increasingly important to U.S. oil refineries, now making up most U.S. imports. U.S. oil refining capacity stood at 18.4 million barrels per day (b/d) as of January 1, 2024. In 2023, 60% of U.S. crude oil imports originated in Canada, up from 33% in 2013.

Price of carbon allowances in California’s Cap-and-Trade Program fell in latest auction

Allowance prices for greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 11% in California's quarterly joint carbon auction held in May 2024, breaking the recent upward trend amid uncertainty as to how the state regulator will amend rules governing the auctions.

U.S. refining capacity increased in 2023 with expansions at existing facilities

U.S. refining capacity increased this year for the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to our annual Refinery Capacity Report. U.S. operable atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity, the primary measure of refinery capacity, totaled 18.4 million barrels per calendar day (b/cd) at the start of 2024, a 2% increase compared with the start of 2023.

What is the natural gas futures market?

The natural gas futures market is a marketplace where standardized contracts for the future delivery of set natural gas volumes are traded. Most natural gas futures are bought and sold in the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). Futures contracts allow participants to manage their exposure to market volatility by locking in a price today for a future purchase or a future sale of a physical commodity.

Natural gas electricity generation in the United States spiked with July heatwave

• U.S. power plant operators generated 6.9 million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity from natural gas on a daily basis in the Lower 48 states on July 9, 2024, probably the most in history and certainly since at least January 1, 2019, when we began to collect hourly data about natural gas generation.
• The spike in natural gas-fired generation on July 9 was because of both high temperatures across most of the country and a steep drop in wind generation.
• According to the National Weather Service, most of the United States experienced temperatures well above average on July 9, 2024. Temperatures were particularly high on the West Coast and East Coast.
• Wind generation in the Lower 48 states totaled 0.3 million MWh on July 9, 2024, much lower than the 1.3 million MWh daily average in June 2024.

Natural gas storage injections remain below five-year average so far this summer

Injections into natural gas storage in the Lower 48 states since April 1 have totaled 950 billion cubic feet (Bcf), according to our July 18 Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report. So far this injection season (April 1–October 31), the amount of natural gas injected into storage (less withdrawals) is 15% (166 Bcf) less than the previous five-year average (2019–23) for the same period and 15% (172 Bcf) less than the same time last year.

Less natural gas consumption in Europe is keeping storage full

Consumption of natural gas in Europe consistently decreased since mid-2022, driven by a combination of mild winter weather and government policies aimed at reducing natural gas consumption. In 2023, natural gas consumption in the European Union’s 27 member countries (EU-27) declined 18% from the previous five-year (2017–21) average according to Eurostat data. During the first five months of 2024 (January–May), consumption remained 19% below the 2017–21 average for the same months.