WASHINGTON, D.C. / RankWire.AI / – By 2026, U.S. marketed natural gas production is expected to hit an all-time high with an average of 122.5 billion cubic feet daily. The U.S. Energy Information Administration previously recorded the 2025 annual peak at 118.5 Bcf/d. During the first six months of 2026, production averaged 121.3 Bcf/d, representing a 4% increase, or 4.6 Bcf/d, compared to the same period in the previous year.
Growth in production primarily stems from the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico, along with the Haynesville region in Louisiana and Texas. It is projected that Permian natural gas output will reach 29.2 Bcf/d this year, marking a 6% rise from 2025. Much of this supply results from associated gas produced alongside crude oil. West Texas Intermediate crude averaged $84 a barrel through July, compared to $65 during 2025.
The increase in Permian gas output is also driven by a rising gas-to-oil ratio, which indicates the volume of natural gas produced relative to crude oil. Meanwhile, Haynesville’s production grew by 1.1 Bcf/d, or 7%, during the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year. The entire year’s output in Haynesville is forecasted to grow by 9%, roughly 1.3 Bcf/d.
Permian and Haynesville lead production increases
Gas prices remain a crucial element for the outlook on production, especially for operators in the gas-rich Haynesville region. The EIA expects the Henry Hub spot price to average $3.44 per million British thermal units in 2026, with a third-quarter forecast of $2.87 per MMBtu. Increased production, combined with decreased LNG feedgas demand, has contributed to higher inventories, with storage at the end of October projected to reach a record 3,985 billion cubic feet.
This storage forecast is 5% above the five-year average and 19 Bcf higher than the previous monthly estimate. U.S. dry natural gas production is anticipated to average 111.19 Bcf/d in 2026. This figure excludes some volumes counted in marketed production. For 2027, dry gas output is forecast to be 116.04 Bcf/d, while total U.S. natural gas consumption is expected to average 92.03 Bcf/d this year.
Exports climb alongside elevated storage levels
In 2026, U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are projected to average 17.4 Bcf/d, an increase from 15.1 Bcf/d in 2025. The forecast for 2027 suggests LNG exports will reach 18.6 Bcf/d. Pipeline exports are expected to average 9.6 Bcf/d this year, compared with 9.5 Bcf/d in 2025. During the third quarter, LNG exports are estimated at 16.5 Bcf/d, partly due to maintenance reducing feedgas demand at some Gulf Coast facilities.
From 2009 through 2024, the United States held the title of the world’s largest natural gas producer, based on comparable global data. The latest outlook from August affirms this dominance with a forecast for another record-breaking year of production in 2026. This projection highlights increased output from the country’s two main growth regions, Permian and Haynesville, which together are elevating U.S. marketed natural gas production beyond the 2025 record.