US Natural Gas Supply and Demand Set for Record Highs in 2026

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its Short-Term Energy Outlook for 2026, predicting record highs in natural gas supply and demand.

Natural gas production is expected to increase from a record 107.6 billion cubic feet per day in 2025 to 111.7 bcfd in 2026 and 115.9 bcfd in 2027, while domestic gas consumption will rise from a record 91.9 bcfd in 2025 to 92.2 bcfd in 2026 and 94.3 bcfd in 2027.

The EIA also forecasts an increase in liquefied natural gas exports from 15.1 bcfd in 2025 to 17.4 bcfd in 2026 and 18.6 bcfd in 2027, while US coal production is projected to decline from a two-year high of 528.4 million short tons in 2025 to 516.3 million tons in 2026 and 496.7 million tons in 2027.

The EIA's projections suggest that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels will also decrease, from a three-year high of 4.904 billion metric tons in 2025 to 4.821 billion tons in 2026 and 4.816 billion tons in 2027.