The U.S. Energy Information Administration on Feb. 9 said domestic natural gas production in 2016 was expected to reach 79.69 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d), up a shade from the 79.68 bcf/d it forecast last month.
That forecast production would top 2015's record high of 79.13 bcf/d and would be the sixth consecutive annual record high for U.S. gas production, according to the EIA's Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) in February.
The EIA forecast U.S. gas consumption meanwhile will ease to 76.44 bcf/d in 2016, down a bit from the 76.57 bcf/d it forecast in January.
That would top the 2015 record high for gas demand of 75.38 bcf/d and would be the seventh annual record high in a row.
For 2017, the agency forecast more record highs, with production expected to rise to 81.26 bcf/d and consumption up to 77.29 bcf/d.
Consumption will rise in 2016 and 2017 primarily as industrial demand increases as new fertilizer and chemical plants enter service.
Growth in production will slow in 2016 as low gas prices and declining rig activity begin to affect output. In 2017, the EIA forecast production growth will increase as prices rise, industrial demand grows and LNG exports increase.
The EIA projects LNG gross exports will increase to an average of 0.5 bcf/d in 2016, with the start-up of Cheniere Energy Inc.'s Sabine Pass LNG liquefaction plant in Louisiana planned for late February or early March.
Gross LNG exports will average 1.3 bcf/d in 2017, as Sabine Pass ramps up its capacity.
U.S. coal production for January 2016 was 59 million short tons (MMst), a 7 percent (4 MMst) decrease from December 2015 and the lowest monthly production since July 1983, according to the EIA.
Forecast coal production declines continue in 2016, with coal production expected to average 834 MMst, a 6 percent decline from 2015, EIA said.
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