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US Natural Gas Exports Hit Record High as LNG Shipments Surge in March, EIA Says

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US dry natural gas production rose 3.3% over the year to 110.9 billion cubic feet per day in March, marking a 12th straight monthly increase, the US Energy Information Administration said in the Natural Gas Monthly update on Friday.

Producers generated 3,438 Bcf of dry natural gas in March, the second-highest monthly level on record since 1973 and the highest ever for the month of March.

Gross withdrawals climbed to 4,201 Bcf, or 135.5 Bcf/d, setting a March record dating back to 1980, according to the agency.

US consumers used an estimated 2,779 Bcf of natural gas during the month, equivalent to 89.6 Bcf/d, up 1.0% from 88.7 Bcf/d a year earlier.

Residential demand fell 8.7% over the year to 15.5 Bcf/d from 17.0 Bcf/d, reaching its lowest March level since 2016, the report showed.

Commercial deliveries declined 4.4% to 11.3 Bcf/d from 11.8 Bcf/d, while industrial consumption edged down 0.5% to 23.9 Bcf/d from 24.0 Bcf/d.

Industrial natural gas consumption declined 0.5% over the year to 23.9 Bcf/d from 24.0 Bcf/d, marking the lowest March level since 2021, the EIA said.

Electric utilities increased natural gas use by 10.6% over the year to 29.6 Bcf/d from 26.8 Bcf/d, providing the strongest growth among end-use sectors.

Net natural gas exports reached a record 652 Bcf, or 21.0 Bcf/d, the highest monthly level since the government began tracking trade data in 1973.

The US exported 3.7 times as much natural gas as it imported in March, as imports declined and exports increased from year-earlier levels, the report showed.

Imports dropped 9.1% to 7.7 Bcf/d from 8.5 Bcf/d, marking the lowest March import rate since 2021, according to the agency.

Exports increased 18.3% to 28.7 Bcf/d from 24.3 Bcf/d, establishing a new record for any month since 1973.

Liquefied natural gas exports advanced 25.1% over the year and reached the highest monthly level since LNG export tracking began in 1997, the EIA added.

The US shipped 18.5 Bcf/d of LNG to 34 countries during March, supporting the record export performance, the agency said.

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