Natural gas net imports in 2015 at lowest level since 1986

U.S natural gas net imports fell to 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2015, continuing a decline that began in 2007, when net imports of natural gas exceeded 10 Bcf/d. While both U.S. natural gas consumption and production have increased in recent years, natural gas production has grown slightly faster, resulting in a decline in net imports. Increasing domestic production of natural gas has reduced U.S. reliance on imported natural gas and kept U.S. natural gas prices relatively low. More »

Power sector coal demand has fallen in nearly every state since 2007

Consumption of steam coal used for electricity generation in the U.S. electric power sector fell 29% from its peak of 1,045 million short tons (MMst) in 2007 to an estimated 739 MMst in 2015. Consumption fell in nearly every state, rising only in Nebraska and Alaska over that period. States with the largest declines were concentrated in the Midwest and Southeast, with six states in these regions accounting for nearly half of the national decline. Smaller declines in power sector coal consumption occurred in Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana, all in the Rocky Mountain region More »

Logistical challenges result in ship-to-ship transfers of U.S. propane exports

U.S. propane exports have increased significantly over the past three years, but only after market participants worked to overcome several challenges in transporting propane to export customers. After largely overcoming the first challenge of building sufficient export capacity, the next challenge involves economically transporting large quantities of propane over long distances. The current, although likely temporary, solution has resulted in import and export data abnormalities affecting U.S. propane exports to Asian countries. More »

Canada expects lower natural gas exports to U.S., higher LNG exports to other countries

In its recent publication "Canada's Energy Future" (CEF), Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) projects that both Canada's natural gas production and its domestic natural gas consumption will increase through the next decade. With exports of natural gas by pipeline to the United States expected to continue declining, the planned construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals on Canada's western coast, which would send LNG exports to Asian markets by 2019, plays a key role in maintaining Canada's overall natural gas exports close to their current level. More »

Strong El Niño helps reduce U.S. winter heating demand and fuel prices

Above-normal temperatures during the 2015-16 winter were a key factor in lowering heating demand and winter fuel expenditures. Compared with the 2014-15 winter, propane and heating oil demand decreased 16% and 45%, respectively, and residential electricity demand decreased by 6%. The 2015-16 winter season (October to March) was 15% warmer than last winter, driven in part by one of the strongest El Niño events in decades. More »

Wind generation growth slowed in 2015 as wind speeds declined in key regions

U.S. wind generation grew by 5.1% in 2015, the smallest annual increase since at least 1999, as weather patterns in the Western half of the United States lowered wind speeds and dampened wind generation during the first half of the year. The same weather patterns resulted in stronger winds in the central part of the country, where wind generation growth in 2015 was most pronounced. More »

Expected decrease in Lower 48 oil production is partially offset by rising GOM output

In response to continued low prices, onshore crude oil production in the Lower 48 states is expected to decline from an average 7.41 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2015 to 6.46 million b/d in 2016 and to 5.76 million b/d in 2017. Increased production from the federal Gulf of Mexico is not enough to offset those declines, with total U.S. production falling from 9.43 million b/d in 2015 to 8.04 million b/d in 2017. More »

State taxes on gasoline and diesel average 27 cents per gallon

State-level taxes and fees on gasoline in the United States averaged 26.5 cents per gallon (¢/gal) as of January 1, 2016. These taxes and feees ranged from a low of 8.95¢/gal in Alaska to a high of 51.4¢/gal in Pennsylvania, and are in addition to the federal tax of 18.4¢/gal. State taxes on diesel are slightly higher—averaging 27.4¢/gal, and ranging from 8.95¢/gal in Alaska to 65.1¢/gal in Pennsylvania—in addition to the 24.4¢/gal federal tax. More »

Total U.S. energy production increases for sixth consecutive year

Total U.S. energy production increased for the sixth consecutive year. According to data in EIA's most recent Monthly Energy Review, energy production reached a record 89 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu), equivalent to 91% of total U.S. energy consumption. Liquid fuels production drove the increase, with an 8% increase for crude oil and a 9% increase for natural gas plant liquids. Natural gas production also increased 5%. These gains more than offset a 10% decline in coal production. More »

U.S. natural gas production reaches record high in 2015

U.S. natural gas production reached a record high level of 79 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2015, an increase of 5% from the previous year, even as natural gas prices remained relatively low. Production from five states—Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and North Dakota—was responsible for most of this growth, offsetting declines in much of the rest of the United States. More »

Natural gas storage ends winter heating season at record high

Working natural gas inventories ended the winter heating season at 2,478 billion cubic feet (Bcf), exceeding the previous end-of-March record high of 2,473 Bcf, set in 2012, according to EIA's Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report. Inventory withdrawals during the traditional heating season (November through March) were relatively limited this year because of winter weather that was the warmest on record and continued high levels of domestic natural gas production. More »

Retail gasoline prices this summer expected to be lowest since 2004

The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that U.S. drivers will pay an average of $2.04 per gallon (gal) this summer for regular gasoline, according to EIA's Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook. The forecast price for summer 2016 is 59 cents/gal lower than the average price last summer, and it would be the lowest average summer price since 2004. Monthly average gasoline prices are expected to increase to $2.08/gal in June, then fall to $1.93/gal in September. More »

Canada provides record-high share and amount of U.S. crude oil imports in 2015

Although total U.S. crude oil imports in 2015 continued to be lower than levels reached during the mid-2000s, imports from the United States' top foreign oil supplier—Canada—were the highest on record, according to annual trade data from EIA's "Petroleum Supply Monthly". Canada provided 4 out of every 10 barrels of oil imported into the United States in 2015. More »

U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel imports increase 61% in 2015

After reaching its highest level to date in 2013, U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel fuel (both biodiesel and renewable diesel) fell in 2014 amid uncertainty surrounding future Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) targets and the elimination of the biodiesel blender's tax credit. As higher targets for biomass-based diesel were finalized in 2015, U.S. imports of biodiesel and renewable diesel increased by 61% in 2015 to reach 538 million gallons. More »

Waste-to-energy electricity generation concentrated in Florida and Northeast

At the end of 2015, the United States had 71 waste-to-energy (WTE) plants that generated electricity in 20 U.S. states, with a total generating capacity of 2.3 gigawatts. Florida contains more than one-fifth of the nation's WTE electricity generation capacity, and in 2015, Florida's Palm Beach Renewable Energy Facility Number 2 became the first new WTE plant to come online since 1995 and the largest single WTE electricity generator in the United States. More »

EIA tracks monthly ethanol and biodiesel rail movements

EIA recently released new information on ethanol and biodiesel movements by rail. The new monthly estimates are integrated with EIA's existing "Petroleum Supply Monthly" and include movements beginning in January 2014. Unlike other liquid fuels that are most commonly transported by pipeline, ethanol and biodiesel are more often transported by rail because both fuels attract water and other impurities in pipelines. More »

Engine design trends lead to increased demand for higher-octane gasoline

Since 2013, the share of premium gasoline in total motor gasoline sales has steadily increased to 11.3% in August and September 2015, the highest share in more than a decade. More »

Mild weather, ample natural gas supply curb Northeast winter power and natural gas prices

Wholesale natural gas and power prices in the Northeast United States remained relatively low this winter, absent the large spikes that have occurred during recent winters. A combination of increased deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the region, a fuel adequacy winter reliability program, and the warmest winter on record helped to keep prices low and stable. More »

Average utilization for natural gas combined cycle plants exceeded coal plants in 2015

Last year marked the first time on record that the average capacity factor of natural gas combined-cycle plants exceeded that of coal steam plants. The power industry has been running natural gas combined-cycle generating units at much higher rates than just 10 years ago, while the utilization of the capacity at coal steam power plants has declined. More »

Ethane production expected to increase as petrochemical consumption and exports expand

Ethane production is expected to increase from 1.1 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2015 to 1.4 million b/d in 2017, accounting for two-thirds of total U.S. hydrocarbon gas liquid (HGL) production growth. Ethane, a key feedstock for petrochemical manufacturing, is recovered from raw natural gas at natural gas processing plants. More »