US dry natural gas production continued to increase in 2015

Production gains were highest in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, due in large part to production from the Marcellus and Utica/Point Pleasant shales. These three states accounted for most of the total increase in 2015. Although annual production in 2015 grew, monthly US natural gas production has since declined in 2016, falling to 71.4 billion ft³/d in July 2016 after reaching a peak of 75 billion ft³/d in April 2015.

Texas remains the largest natural gas producing state, producing 19.4 billion ft³/d in 2015. For the third consecutive year, Pennsylvania saw the largest total gain in annual production, increasing to 13 billion ft³/d in 2015, up 11.4% from 11.6 billion ft³/d in 2014. Ohio saw the largest percentage increase in natural gas production, increasing 49.9%, from 1.3 billion ft³/d in 2014 to 2.6 billion ft³/d in 2015. Louisiana production declined by the largest amount, falling to 4.8 billion ft³/d in 2015, a decrease of 0.5 billion ft³/d, or 10.8%, compared to 2014.

Shale gas wells continue to be the largest source of total natural gas production. According to the Natural Gas Annual, gross withdrawals from shale gas wells – which, unlike dry natural gas production, include all compounds extracted at the wellhead – increased from 38.3 billion ft³/d in 2014 to 42.4 billion ft³/d in 2015, representing 47% of total natural gas production. This increase in production occurred despite declines in natural gas prices.

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