Two-thirds of North America is at risk of energy shortfalls in high summer heat, NERC says
If temperatures spike this summer, parts of the United States could face electricity supply shortages as demand for cooling increases, according to analysis by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The latest summer reliability report from NERC warns that two-thirds of North America is at risk of energy shortfalls this summer during periods of […]
Nigeria was the top crude oil producer in Africa, but disruptions threaten production
For many years, more crude oil was produced in Nigeria than in any other country in Africa. However, unplanned production outages—or disruptions—in Nigeria have, at times, resulted in its crude oil production falling below that of Angola, the second-highest producing country in Africa. Disruptions remain a significant and persistent downside risk to Nigeria’s crude oil […]
EIA’s weekly natural gas products provide timely natural gas information
We provide daily and weekly information on natural gas market activity and drivers in three weekly products: the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report, the Natural Gas Storage Dashboard, and the Natural Gas Weekly Update.
U.S. diesel prices have fallen below prices from before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
U.S. ultra-low sulfur diesel front-month futures prices have declined each month since January 2023 and, as of May, averaged $0.50 per gallon (gal) lower than prices in February 2022, just before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For over a year, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the reaction to it, has disrupted global crude oil […]
As solar capacity grows, duck curves are getting deeper in California
As more solar capacity has come online in California, grid operators at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) have observed a drop in net load (or the demand remaining after subtracting variable renewable generation) in the middle of the day when solar generation tends to be highest. When graphed for a typical day, the pattern […]
U.S. electric power sector continues water efficiency gains
As the country’s generation mix moves away from the most water-intensive sources of generation, U.S. electric power sector water withdrawals for power plant cooling remained relatively constant in 2021, increasing by just 0.3% from 2020 to 47.7 trillion gallons of water. The slight increase compares to a 2.5% rise in U.S. electricity generation in 2021.
Natural gas production in the Permian region established a new record in 2022
Gross natural gas withdrawals in the Permian region set an annual record high in 2022 at 21.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), 14% above the 2021 average, according to our Drilling Productivity Report. Annual gross natural gas production in the Permian region, which extends across western Texas and eastern New Mexico, has been rising […]
U.S. ethane exports set a monthly record in March 2023
U.S. ethane exports averaged 537,000 barrels per day (b/d) in March 2023, an all-time high since the United States began exporting ethane nearly a decade ago, according to our May 2023 Petroleum Supply Monthly. Increased export capacity in recent years has allowed more ethane to be exported.
Increased U.S. renewable and natural gas generation likely to reduce summer coal demand
We forecast that the largest increases in U.S. electricity generation this summer (June, July, and August) will come from solar, wind, and natural gas-fired power plants because of new generating capacity coming online, according to our June Short-Term Energy Outlook. The rising generation from these sources will likely be offset by reduced generation from coal-fired […]
U.S. electricity generation from natural gas was highest on record this past winter
According to our Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), U.S. electricity generation from natural gas reached a record-high 619 billion kilowatthours (BkWh) during the most recent winter heating season (November 1–March 31), averaging more than 120 BkWh per month and accounting for 38% of the country’s electricity generation mix. Electricity generation from natural gas increased in the […]