South Africa plans to add more natural gas, renewables to its energy supply mix

South Africa is one of the world’s leading emitters of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2), ranking fifteenth globally in 2015 and accounting for more than any other country in Africa. In an effort to reduce CO2 emissions, South Africa is planning to diversify its energy portfolio, replacing coal with lower CO2-emitting fuels such as natural gas and renewable sources. More »

Hydraulically fractured horizontal wells account for most new oil and natural gas wells

In 2016, hydraulically fractured horizontal wells accounted for 69% of all oil and natural gas wells drilled in the United States and 83% of the total linear footage drilled. The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has increased the rate of recent U.S. crude oil, lease condensate, and natural gas production. More »

U.S. crude oil exports increased following hurricane-related refinery disruptions

From late August through September 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused disruptions to the U.S. Gulf Coast refining sector, resulting in record-high U.S. crude oil exports when export facilities reopened after the storm and before many refineries returned to pre-storm levels of utilization. More »

Natural gas production in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia growing faster than demand

Significant growth in natural gas production over the past decade—primarily from the Marcellus and Utica shales in the Appalachian Basin—have increased gross natural gas output in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. More »

EIA expects 2018 and 2019 natural gas prices to remain relatively flat

In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA expects the Henry Hub natural gas spot price to average $2.88 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2018 and $2.92/MMBtu in 2019, slightly lower than the 2017 average of $2.99/MMBtu. Lower prices in 2018 and 2019 reflect EIA’s expectation of increased natural gas production and relatively flat consumption. More »

Wind expected to surpass hydro as largest renewable electricity generation source

As one of the first technologies used to generate electricity, hydroelectric power has historically provided the largest share of renewable electricity generation in the United States. However, this year EIA expects wind power to surpass hydroelectricity, based on forecasts in the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook. More »

January's cold weather affects electricity generation mix in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic

The bomb cyclone weather event in early January 2018 resulted in record levels of U.S. natural gas demand and elevated wholesale natural gas and power prices around the country as reported in a special EIA analysis. More »

EIA forecasts natural gas to remain primary energy source for electricity generation

EIA’s January 2018 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) forecasts that natural gas will remain the primary source of U.S. electricity generation for at least the next two years. The share of total electricity supplied by natural gas-fired power plants is expected to average 33% in 2018 and 34% in 2019, up from 32% in 2017. More »

Hydroelectric generation in Montana recovers from last summer’s flash drought

Montana experienced exceptionally hot and dry conditions last summer, which resulted in wildfires and a flash drought—an unpredictable drought that intensified very quickly. As a result, the hydropower share of the state’s electricity generation dropped below normal levels. More »

EIA expects total U.S. fossil fuel production to reach record levels in 2018 and 2019

In its January 2018 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA forecasts that total fossil fuels production in the United States will average almost 73 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2018, the highest level of production on record. EIA expects total fossil fuel production to then set another record in 2019, with production forecast to rise to 75 quadrillion Btu. More »

Wholesale power prices in 2017 were stable in the east, but increased in Texas, California

Wholesale electricity prices at major trading hubs in the eastern United States during 2017 were relatively unchanged from 2016, while average monthly wholesale prices in California and Texas increased by 18% and 27%, respectively, in 2017. More »

Natural gas prices, production, and exports increased from 2016 to 2017

In 2017, natural gas spot prices at the national benchmark Henry Hub in Louisiana averaged $3.01 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), about 50 cents per MMBtu higher than in 2016. The higher prices in 2017 contributed to less natural gas consumption for power generation. Increased domestic production was offset by increased exports of natural gas by pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes. More »

During recent cold snap, the U.S. withdrew a record amount of natural gas from storage

During the recent cold weather event that affected much of the eastern United States, more natural gas was withdrawn from storage fields around the country than at any other point in history. Net withdrawals from natural gas storage totaled 359 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ending January 5, 2018, exceeding the previous record of 288 Bcf set four years ago. More »

EIA forecasts mostly flat crude oil prices and increasing global production through 2019

EIA's January Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts Brent crude oil to average $60 per barrel (b) in 2018 and $61/b in 2019, slightly higher than the $54/b average in 2017. In both 2018 and 2019, EIA expects total global crude oil production to be slightly greater than global consumption, with U.S. crude oil production increasing more than any other country. More »

Nearly half of utility-scale capacity installed in 2017 came from renewables

Once final data are in, EIA expects about 25 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric generating capacity to have been added to the power grid during 2017, nearly half of which use renewable technologies, especially wind and solar. Another 3.5 GW of small-scale solar net capacity additions are estimated to have come online in 2017. More »

Almost all power plants that retired in the past decade were powered by fossil fuels

Nearly all of the utility-scale power plants in the United States that were retired from 2008 through 2017 were fueled by fossil fuels. Of the total retired capacity, coal power plants and natural gas steam turbines accounted for the highest percentages, 47% and 26%, respectively. More »

Batteries perform many different functions on the power grid

Driven largely by installations over the past three years, the electric power industry has installed about 700 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale batteries on the U.S. electric grid. As of October 2017, these batteries made up about 0.06% of U.S. utility-scale generating capacity. More »

Cold weather, higher exports result in record natural gas demand

Estimated U.S. natural gas demand on January 1, 2018 reached 150.7 billion cubic feet, surpassing the previous single-day record set in 2014, according to estimates from PointLogic. Much colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States have led to increased demand for heating, much of which is provided by natural gas. More »

U.S. gasoline prices increased in 2017

Crude oil prices ended 2017 at $60/barrel (b), the highest end-of-year price since 2013. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices averaged $51/b in 2017, up $7/b from the 2016 average, and ended the year $6/b higher than at the end of 2016. Brent prices have moved up $10/b since the end of 2016 and ended the year at $65/b, widening the Brent-WTI spread to $5/b at the end of the year, the largest difference since 2013. More »

Crude oil prices increased in 2017, and Brent-WTI spread widened

Crude oil prices ended 2017 at the highest levels since 2013. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices averaged $51/b in 2017, up $7/b from the 2016 average, and ended the year at $60/b, $6/b higher than at the end of 2016. Brent prices have moved up $10/b since the end of 2016 and ended the year at $65/b, widening the Brent-WTI spread to $5/b at the end of the year, the largest difference since 2013. More »