US natgas output to hit record high in 2026, while demand declines, EIA says

By Scott DiSavino

NEW YORK, April 7 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas output will rise to a record high in 2026, while demand will decline, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday.

EIA projected dry gas production will rise from a record 107.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2025 to 109.6 bcfd in 2026 and 112.6 bcfd in 2027.

The agency also projected domestic gas consumption will fall from a record 91.9 bcfd in 2025 to 90.6 bcfd in 2026 before rising to 92.7 bcfd in 2027.

The April projections for 2026 were higher than EIA's forecast in March of 109.5 bcfd for production, but lower than its forecast of 91.4 bcfd for demand.

The agency forecast average U.S. liquefied natural gas exports would rise from a record 15.1 bcfd in 2025 to 17.0 bcfd in 2026 and 18.6 bcfd in 2027.

With power generators expected to burn less coal in coming years, the EIA projected U.S. coal production would drop from a two-year high of 533.0 million short tons in 2025 to 516.7 million tons in 2026 and 494.3 million tons in 2027, the lowest since 1963.

EIA projected carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels would decline from a three-year high of 4.904 billion metric tons in 2025 to 4.789 billion metric tons in 2026 as oil, coal and gas use decreases, before edging up to 4.802 billion metric tons in 2027 as a result of an anticipated increase in oil and gas use.