US Natural Gas Production Hits Record High

Natural gas production in the United States hit a record high in July, with the growth mainly coming from higher production in the Permian Basin, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The total volume of gas extracted at the wellhead, also referred to as gross withdrawals, hit a record 137 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in July, the EIA said in an Oct. 2 statement.

Wellheads are equipment mounted atop well openings that monitor and regulate the extraction of hydrocarbons, such as natural gas.

The July figure is the first new monthly record for gross withdrawals this year. In 2025, there were five record-setting months, according to the EIA.

The Permian Basin, which spans parts of New Mexico and Texas, saw higher output in July, the EIA said.

The Permian is one of the world’s most prolific oil and gas regions. In New Mexico and Texas, the total volume of gas extracted at the wellhead rose by 1.7 Bcf/d between June and July 2026, an increase of 3.2 percent in a single month. Such extractions were also up in Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Louisiana.

New natural gas pipeline infrastructure is expanding capacity from the Permian Basin to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals located on the Gulf Coast, according to the EIA.

Marketed natural gas output in the United States averaged 121.3 billion cubic feet per day in the first half, up 4 percent from the same period in 2025, according to an Aug. 12 EIA analysis.

Meanwhile, higher natural gas output has been accompanied by increased propane exports, a byproduct of natural gas and oil production. U.S. propane exports hit a record in the first half of 2026, the EIA said in an Oct. 1 statement.

A total of 2 million barrels per day of propane were exported in the first half of this year, 11 percent higher than in the same period in 2025.

“Increased U.S. propane production and changing trade flows, particularly increased exports to India and other countries in South Asia, drove propane exports to a record high of 2.1 million b/d in April 2026. Since then, total propane exports, including exports to India, have continued at levels well above the five-year average,” the EIA said.

Natural Gas Power

The Trump administration is advancing rollbacks to shield fossil fuels such as natural gas from regulatory penalties in the U.S. power sector.

The action repeals much of the 2024 emission standards adopted under the Biden administration, which required certain natural gas plants and existing coal plants to eventually capture and store the emissions underground.

In a Sept. 14 statement, environmental group Sierra Club criticized the move, arguing that the measure strips the EPA of one of its most powerful climate-action tools.

Sierra Club chief program officer Holly Bender said in the statement that the Trump administration was giving the fossil fuel industry the license to keep polluting.

“This is full-throated climate denial while the climate crisis happens in real time and a shocking betrayal of the American public. The Sierra Club will fight back against this reckless and dangerous proposal with everything we have in the courts, in Congress, and in communities across the country,” Bender said.

The EPA said in a Sept. 14 statement that its regulatory rollback is expected to “unleash the full potential” of America’s energy resources, including natural gas. It argued that the 2024 rules led to inefficient uses of natural gas and negatively impacted the country’s energy systems, pushing up electricity prices.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in the statement that natural gas and coal play a crucial role in keeping the lights on during periods of peak electricity demand.

“Today’s announcement will help ensure reliable electricity generation regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining by allowing coal and natural gas plants to keep generating power when Americans need it most,” Wright said at the time.