US Gas Output and LNG Exports Set for Record Highs
The US Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts record-breaking natural gas production and consumption in 2026-27. According to the EIA, dry natural gas production is projected to increase from a record 107.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2025 to 111.7 bcfd in 2026 and 115.9 bcfd in 2027. Domestic gas consumption is forecast to rise from a record 91.9 bcfd in 2025 to 92.2 bcfd in 2026 and 94.3 bcfd in 2027.
The EIA also expects US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to increase, reaching an average of 17.4 bcfd in 2026 and 18.6 bcfd in 2027, up from a record 15.1 bcfd in 2025. The agency's forecasts suggest that US natural gas inventories will begin the winter season on October 31 at around 5% above the five-year average.
The EIA expects US coal production to decline as power generators increasingly shift away from coal. Production is projected to fall from 528.4 million short tons in 2025 to 516.3 million tons (mmt) in 2026 and 496.7 mmt in 2027, the lowest level since 1963.