EIA data show continued rise in U.S. gas imports

Oct. 30, 1995
The Changing Pattern Of U.S. Natural Gas Trade (161905 bytes) Flow Of U.S. Natural Gas Imports and Exports, 1994 (82587 bytes) The Energy Information Administration reports U.S. net imports of natural gas rose for the eighth year in a row in 1994, reaching 12% of the country's gas consumption. EIA data show U.S. gas imports have nearly doubled during the last 6 years, rising from a net 1.3 tcf in 1989 to 2.5 tcf in 1994 for an average growth rate of 11%/year. Imports from Canada continued

The Changing Pattern Of U.S. Natural Gas Trade (161905 bytes)

Flow Of U.S. Natural Gas Imports and Exports, 1994 (82587 bytes)

The Energy Information Administration reports U.S. net imports of natural gas rose for the eighth year in a row in 1994, reaching 12% of the country's gas consumption.

EIA data show U.S. gas imports have nearly doubled during the last 6 years, rising from a net 1.3 tcf in 1989 to 2.5 tcf in 1994 for an average growth rate of 11%/year.

Imports from Canada continued to climb to a record 2.565 tcf.

Most of that increase occurred in the West, with expansion of the Pacific Gas Transmission system. However, Canadian imports are fast approaching the limit of existing pipelines' capacity to transport gas into the U.S., EIA said.

From November 1993 through October 1994, the load factor on Canada's gas pipeline system was more than 90% for exports into the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. But a number of proposed pipeline projects could increase Canada's export capacity as much as 5.5 tcf/year by the end of 1997.

The price of Canadian imports in 1994 was $1.86/Mcf, down 8% from 1993. The sharpest decline occurred in shipments to the West Coast, where the price slid to $1.60 from $2.02 year to year because long term imports were replaced by lower priced short term imports.

Liquefied natural gas imports from Algeria, the only source for shipments of that fuel to the U.S., fell 38% to 50.8 bcf due to supplier curtailments that began in August 1994.

Algeria's Sonatrach cut exports because of a major renovation project at its gas liquefaction plants. LNG shipments to the U.S. continue in 1995 but at a reduced volume.

The price of LNG imports from Algeria increased to $2.28/Mcf in 1994 from $2.20 in 1993.

U.S. gas exports to Canada, Mexico, and Japan rose 15% last year to 161.7 bcf. Exports have fluctuated in recent years, peaking in 1992 at 216.3 bcf when shipments to Mexico hit a record level.

Price comparison

The price of gas imports in nominal dollars and constant 1994 dollars has been lower in recent years than it was in the early 1980s.

In 1986-87, the price in nominal dollars fell 20% to $1.95/Mcf and has remained near that level. The price of Canadian gas drives the price for U.S. total gas imports.

The price of gas exports also has declined since the early 1980s. Copyright 1995 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.