US on Track for Record Natural Gas Production Amid Crude Oil Price Surge

The US is on track to hit record natural gas production this year, according to the Energy Information Administration. The agency forecasts that marketed natural gas production will average 122.5 billion cubic feet per day, surpassing the previous record of 118.5 Bcf per day set in 2025.

Much of the growth is concentrated in the Permian Basin and Haynesville regions. In the first half of the year, production averaged 121.3 Bcf per day, 4.6 Bcf more than in the first half of 2025. The EIA forecasts that Permian gas production will average 29.2 Bcf per day in 2026, 6% more than in 2025.

The high prices of West Texas Intermediate crude oil are supporting oil-directed drilling in the Permian region and resulting rise in both crude oil and natural gas production. Oil prices rose from an average of $65 per barrel in 2025 to $84 per barrel through July 2026, exceeding the region’s breakeven price.