|
Press Releases | |
|---|---|
U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 3, 1997 Projected Natural Gas Supplies Adequate Through 1997 U.S. natural gas productive capacity (the maximum gas production rate at the wellhead) is expected to meet normal production demand through 1997. (See figure.) In fact, surplus monthly capacity will be higher in December 1997 than it was in December 1995. This increase mainly reflects new discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf. A newly released Energy Information Administration (EIA) report, Natural Gas Productive Capacity for the Lower 48 States, 1985 Through 1997, concludes that normal monthly gas demand can be met through 1997. Exceptionally high peak-day or peak-week heating or cooling demand may exceed projected productive capacity, or production may be limited by other factors such as pipeline availability. Nonetheless, the natural gas industry has developed methods to meet peak demand such as deliveries from storage and peak-day shaving. Louisiana, California, and Oklahoma may not be able to meet their share of scheduled gas production every month. However, U.S. gas supplies are expected to be adequate because other areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico Federal Offshore, will continue to show a surplus productive capacity. Surplus capacity above average production is needed to respond to variations in demand caused by weather and other factors, although expanded imports and storage of gas in recent years have increased the flexibility of the supply system. Without the projected increases in drilling, raising domestic production to meet anticipated demand would lower the surplus below recent historical levels. This is the fifth in the series of EIA reports on natural gas wellhead capacity in the lower 48 States. The series documents a decline in gas productive capacity beginning in 1986 that was clearly reversed in 1996. EIA separates coalbed from conventional gas-well gas in New Mexico, Rocky Mountains, and Southeast. Coalbed gas capacity is projected to be 5 percent of the gas-well gas capacity at the end of 1997. Internet access to the EIA report, Natural Gas Productive Capacity for the Lower 48 States 1985 Through 1997, will be available after January 6th through the EIA Home Page on the World Wide Web system. The Internet address is : http://www.eia.doe.gov Copies of the report are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office or through EIA's National Energy Information Center (NEIC), Room 1F-048, Forrestal Building, Washington, DC 20585 (202/586-8800).
EIA Press Contact: Thomas Welch, 202/586-1178 EIA-97-03 Contact:
|