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U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION EIA Plans New Survey to Improve the Quality and Timeliness of Natural Gas Production Data The Energy Information Administration (EIA), in a Federal Register notice released today, announced plans for a new monthly survey of a sample of well operators. The new survey is a key element of EIA’s strategy to improve the timeliness and quality of natural gas production data. “The new production survey can substantially improve both the quality and timeliness of our monthly natural gas production estimates - our goal is to have releasable numbers 60 days after the close of a report month with a sampling error at the national level in the 1% range,” said EIA Administrator Guy Caruso. Market participants, the financial community, the Administration, and members of Congress have all called for improvements to natural gas production data. EIA Administrator Guy Caruso noted that natural gas markets have tightened considerably in recent years. “Timely, high-quality production data are more important than ever to market participants. The proposed new survey is a key part of EIA’s plan to meet this need, he said.” EIA carefully considered several alternatives other than a survey of well operators, including (1) use of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 10-K and 10-Q submissions, (2) a survey of natural gas pipeline operators, and (3) use of data from natural gas processors. The survey of well operators was found to be the only alternative that could satisfy EIA’s accuracy and timeliness requirements. Respondent burden and the need for confidentiality were both carefully considered. EIA estimates that a sample of approximately 250-350 respondents will be needed to obtain estimates with a sampling error of less than 1% at the national level and less than 5% for each of six regions. Also, EIA plans to conduct the new sample survey under provisions of the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA), which provide extremely strong protection against the disclosure of respondent data. EIA looks forward to receiving comments from a wide range of market participants - producers, pipelines, distribution companies, consumers, the financial community, and government officials. A copy of the Federal Register notice can be can be downloaded from EIA’s website at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oss/EIA-914-April23-2004.pdf
EIA Press Contact: National Energy Information Center, 202/586-8800 EIA-2004-05
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