In October, dry natural gas production was the highest for the month since EIA began reporting dry natural gas production data in 1973. Preliminary dry natural gas production for October 2015 was 2303 billion ft3, or 74.3 billion ft3/d. This level was a 1.5 billion ft3/d (2.1%) increase from production of 72.7 billion ft3/d in October 2014.
October’s dry natural gas consumption level was the highest on record for the month. Preliminary total natural gas consumption for October 2015 was 2002 billion ft3, or 64.6 billion ft3/d. This level was an increase of 4.3% from 1920 billion ft3 in October 2014, or 2.6 billion ft3/d.
Year over year total consumption of dry natural gas in October decreased in two of the four consuming sectors, with the exceptions being industrial, which increased slightly, and electric power deliveries, which increased significantly year to year. Deliveries of natural gas by consuming sector in October were as follows:
- Residential deliveries were 200 billion ft3, or 6.5 billion ft3/d, down 5.7% from 6.8 billion ft3/d in October 2014.
- Commercial deliveries were 193 billion ft3, or 6.2 billion ft3/d, down 4.5% from 6.5 billion ft3/d in October 2014.
- Industrial deliveries were 612 billion ft3, or 19.7 billion ft3/d, up 0.7% from 19.6 billion ft3/d in October 2014.
- Electric power deliveries were 797 billion ft3, or 25.7 billion ft3/d, up 13.2% from 22.7 billion ft3/d in October 2014.
Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling