Net US Gas Exports Double in 1H 2018: EIA
US net natural gas exports more than doubled in the first half of this year, largely reflecting new LNG export capacity, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said October 1.
In its Today in Energy report, the EIA said net US gas exports averaged 870mn ft3/day in the January to June period this year, compared with 340mn ft³/day in the comparable 2017 period. Exports of US LNG, it said, jumped 58% year-on-year, and averaged about 2.7bn ft³/day.
US pipeline gas trade, meanwhile, has either remained flat or declined this year compared to 2017, the EIA said. Pipeline exports to Mexico rose by just 4% year-on-year, while exports to Canada fell by 14%, primarily related to reduced exports into the Dawn hub in southern Ontario as eastbound flows from western Canada on the TransCanada Mainline system increased by about 260mn ft3/day. This was the result of a lower incentive toll implemented by TransCanada on November 1, 2017.
January was the only month this year that saw US gas imports exceed exports, the EIA said, as “extreme and prolonged” low temperatures pushed gas demand to record levels. January imports from Canada averaged 9.25bn ft³/day, the highest daily average since January 2014. The US also received LNG at the higher-priced northeastern markets.
Net gas exports from the US, the EIA said, are expected to continue to rise this year and next, as additional LNG capacity comes on line and receiving pipelines in Mexico are placed into service. This year, net exports are expected to average 2bn ft3/day, while 2019 net exports are forecast at 5.9bn ft³/day.