WASHINGTON, D.C. / RankWire.AI / – The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that the country’s marketed natural gas production will reach an all-time average of 122.5 billion cubic feet per day in 2026. The previous annual high was 118.5 Bcf/d in 2025. During the first half of 2026, production averaged 121.3 Bcf/d, representing a 4%, or 4.6 Bcf/d, increase compared to the same period in the previous year.
Growth in production has primarily taken place in the Permian basin in Texas and New Mexico, as well as in Louisiana and Texas’s Haynesville region. Permian natural gas output is expected to average 29.2 Bcf/d this year, an increase of 6% from 2025. Much of this gas is produced as associated gas alongside crude oil. Through July, West Texas Intermediate crude averaged $84 a barrel, compared to $65 in 2025.
The rise in Permian gas output correlates with the region’s increasing gas-to-oil ratio, which measures the amount of natural gas produced relative to crude oil. During the first half, Haynesville production increased by 1.1 Bcf/d, or 7%, when compared to the previous year. The full-year forecast indicates a 9% increase for Haynesville, approximately 1.3 Bcf/d.
Permian and Haynesville contribute significantly to growth
The outlook for natural gas production heavily depends on prices, especially for operators in the gas-centric Haynesville region. The EIA anticipates the Henry Hub spot price will average $3.44 per million British thermal units in 2026, with a third-quarter forecast of $2.87 per MMBtu. Increased production and reduced LNG feedgas demand have contributed to rising inventories, which are projected to reach a record 3,985 billion cubic feet by the end of October.
This storage figure exceeds the five-year average by 5% and is 19 Bcf higher than previous monthly projections. U.S. dry natural gas production is forecast to be 111.19 Bcf/d on average in 2026, excluding certain volumes counted in marketed production. In 2027, dry gas output is expected to reach 116.04 Bcf/d, while overall U.S. natural gas consumption this year averages 92.03 Bcf/d.
Exports increase alongside elevated storage levels
LNG exports from the United States are projected to average 17.4 Bcf/d in 2026, up from 15.1 Bcf/d in 2025. The forecast for 2027 is 18.6 Bcf/d. Pipeline exports are expected to be 9.6 Bcf/d this year, slightly higher than last year’s 9.5 Bcf/d. During the third quarter, LNG exports are forecasted at 16.5 Bcf/d, due to maintenance that temporarily reduces feedgas demand at some Gulf Coast facilities.
From 2009 through 2024, the United States maintained its position as the world’s largest natural gas producer, according to global data. The August outlook confirms this status with a forecast of another annual record in 2026. The latest projections highlight increased output from the country’s two key growth regions, Permian and Haynesville, which together are pushing U.S. marketed natural gas production beyond the 2025 record.