|
Questions About Natural
Gas...
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Learn More
About Natural Gas! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Question:
What are the major factors affecting natural gas prices?
|
|
Numerous underlying factors
affect natural gas prices. Depending on the factor-for
example, production, imports, demand, oil prices,
and natural gas inventories -- each can apply
either upward pressure ( ) or downward pressure ( )
or neutral pressure on prices ( ). |
|
Increasing Production
- Total U.S. marketed production of natural gas is projected to increase 5.4% in 2008. |
|
|
Declining Imports - Net imports of natural gas are projected to decline by 24.3% in 2008. |
| |
Flat Demand Growth - Total natural gas consumption is projected to increase by 0.5% in 2008. |
|
Lower Oil Prices - Some large-volume customers (primarily industrial consumers and electricity generators) can switch between natural gas and oil, depending on the prices of each. Because of this interrelation between fuel markets, when oil prices fall, the shift in demand from natural gas to oil pushes prices downward. |
|
Above Average Inventories - As of November 28, 2008, natural gas in storage was 3,358 billion cubic feet (Bcf), which was 2.1% above the 5-year average for that time of year. |
For a detailed discussion on residential
natural gas prices, see:
|
| Last updated: December 9, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
Which States consume and produce the most natural gas?
|
| In 2006, the following four States consumed the most natural gas:
1. Texas … 3.4 Tcf (Trillion Cubic Feet)
2. California … 2.3 Tcf
3. Louisiana … 1.2 Tcf
4. New York … 1.1 Tcf |
|
|
| U.S.-marketed production of natural gas in 2006 was 19.4 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). The top producing States are: |
 |
Texas … 5.5 Tcf |
|
Wyoming … 1.8
Tcf |
|
Oklahoma …1.7
Tcf |
|
New Mexico…1.6 Tcf |
|
Louisiana …1.4 Tcf |
|
Colorado …1.2 Tcf |
In addition, there was 2.9 Tcf of production from the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico.
Natural gas consumption by State
Top
Natural Gas Producing States |
| Last updated: April 15, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
Where are the historical spot prices for natural gas?
|
| EIA does not collect daily spot price information, but instead relies on a private vendor. EIA publishes daily spot prices for the Henry Hub, Transco Zone 6 NY, Chicago, and an average for selected California locations on a weekly basis and these can be found in the Natural Gas Weekly Update (NGWU). A time series of the daily spot price data for these locations and all others in the Lower 48 States are available from the data vendor, Intelligence Press, Inc. EIA also publishes historical monthly average Henry Hub spot prices in its Short Term Energy Outlook query system. |
|
Last reviewed: April 17, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
What percentage of homes in the U.S. use natural gas for
heating?
|
|
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
How much natural gas is consumed (used) in the U.S. (total and by end use)?
|
|
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
What is the average cost of natural gas used for electric
power generation?
|
|
In 2007, the average price of natural gas used for electric power generation was $7.30 per Thousand Cubic Feet, a 19-cent increase from $7.11 per Thousand Cubic Feet in 2006. |
|
Annual natural gas prices (electric power industry price at the bottom) |
| Last updated: July 7, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
What is the volume of natural gas reserves in the U.S. and
worldwide? Is there enough to meet future needs?
|
The United States had about 211 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proved, dry natural gas reserves in 2006. Proved world reserves are about 6,183 Tcf (Source: Oil and Gas Journal, December 2006 estimate).
Yes, there should be sufficient reserves to meet expected demand well into the future based on EIA's latest estimates of U.S. and total world natural gas consumption from 2006 through 2030, nearly 580 Tcf and 3,382 Tcf, respectively.
|
|
U.S.
Natural Gas Reserves Summary
World
Crude Oil and Natural Gas Reserves |
| Last updated: April 16, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
Where can I find international prices for natural gas?
|
|
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
How does EIA calculate the year-ago and 5- year averages in the Natural Gas Weekly Storage Report?
|
|
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
What is the total underground natural gas storage capacity?
|
|
There are several ways that total underground working gas capacity may be measured. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated that inAugust 2007 that, after adjustment for operational considerations that hinder the attainment of full storage at all fields simultaneously, a likely practical estimate for maximum industry-wide working gas capacity is roughly 3.7 Tcf. However, based on design capacity estimates, U.S. working gas capacity was 4.10 Tcf as of the end of July 2007.
|
|
Estimates
of Maximum Underground Working Gas Storage Capacity
in the United States |
| Last updated: April 15, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
How can I choose my natural gas supplier in my State?
|
|
Residential consumers in some States have the opportunity
to choose their supplier for the natural gas itself.
Suppliers are either the local distribution company
or approved gas marketers. Regardless of supplier,
the local distribution company continues to provide
local transportation and distribution services. |
| Learn More: To find out more about States that
have "customer choice"
programs, see Natural
Gas Residential Choice Programs. |
|
Last reviewed: April 17, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
Can I obtain a list of companies involved in the natural
gas industry, such as utilities, pipeline companies, and
storage operators?
|
| Yes. EIA collects and publishes a list of natural
gas underground storage operators by State. EIA
also collects and publishes information on natural
gas investor-owned local distribution companies (LDC),
municipally-owned LDC, and pipeline companies, which
can be downloaded from the EIA-176
Query System. |
|
Last reviewed: April 17, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
Question:
What greenhouse gas emissions are associated with natural
gas in the U.S.?
|
|
Natural gas is primarily methane, which is a major greenhouse gas. Methane is emitted directly to the atmosphere from sources such as leaks in natural gas wells, coal mines, and pipelines. It is also emitted from landfills, sewage treatment facilities, livestock operations, and industrial processes. Other major greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides and water vapor, are produced when natural gas is burned for heating and electric power generation. Direct methane emissions and carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas combustion in 2006 were about 25% of total U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases (in carbon dioxide equivalent).
|
|
Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2006 |
| Last updated: April 11, 2008 |
|
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
|