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Released November 13, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Paul Wiseman for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)
U.S. natural gas production in 2023 was 104 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), 75% more than Russia, the second largest producer, according to the EIA figure. For the global comparison, the agency used data from Cedigaz, an international association for natural and renewable gas. Within that 104 billion Bcf/d, here's how the top three regions performed that year:
Nationwide production has continued to rise, averaging 106 Bcf/d for the first half of 2025.
"Production will grow as demand grows, such as for power generation, LNG, and others," Sanchez said. "Gas prices are a good indicator of production growth, and as this winter begins, we are near $4/MMBtu (million British thermal units). However, we've recently had many mild winters that have pushed prices down as the season continued."
Basically, prices must be high enough for producers and pipeline companies to make a profit before new projects are likely.
"Gas prices must be above breakeven at these basins, and in the Permian and Appalachia those break-evens are low, especially in the Permian where gas is a byproduct of oil production," Sanchez continued. "There, they can't build pipelines fast enough."
"In the Appalachian, the challenge is more about getting permission. Up east, it takes longer to get pipelines approved. Haynesville has higher break-evens, so that's the reason fewer pipelines are being built there," Sanchez explained.
She concluded, "As demand grows, prices will increase, signaling the green light for pipeline expansions as breakeven extraction costs make it economical at higher gas prices."
Industrial Info is tracking eight Permian Basin natural gas pipelines, as follows. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Pipeline Project Database can view the detailed project reports:
Under the Trump administration some of the regulatory hurdles may be on the way out. The president has highlighted energy production (drill, baby, drill) to enhance national security, giving Appalachian producers a possible avenue forward.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) was put in service in June 2024, with capacity to carry 2.0 Bcf/d from West Virginia to Virginia.
Williams Companies (Tulsa, Oklahoma) is seeing progress on three of its proposed pipelines, including one that would deliver natural gas to New York. On November 7, the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project passed a major hurdle when the New York Department of Environmental Conservation issued three previously-denied permits critical to the pipeline's construction. For more on that, see November 11, 2025, article - New York Issues Key Permit for Previously Shunned Gas Pipeline. Subscribers can learn more from the related project reports.
In addition, Industrial Info is tracking the Chatham MVP Southgate project, a 31-mile line that will carry up to 550 MMcf/d, from Virginia to the Virginia/North Carolina border, with a planned completion in 2028.
By the Numbers
About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
Summary
The Appalachian, Permian, and Haynesville basins, if they were nations, would rank in the world's top 10 of natural gas production. The U.S. also leads world in natural gas production and LNG exports. Pipeline construction in Permian and Appalachia struggles to keep up with production.U.S. Leads in Natural Gas Production
The U.S. has led the world in natural gas production since 2009. And according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2023, the most recent year for which worldwide production data is available, three individual U.S. basins would be among the world's top 10 producers.U.S. natural gas production in 2023 was 104 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), 75% more than Russia, the second largest producer, according to the EIA figure. For the global comparison, the agency used data from Cedigaz, an international association for natural and renewable gas. Within that 104 billion Bcf/d, here's how the top three regions performed that year:
- The Appalachia region, in the northeastern U.S., encompasses the Marcellus and Utica shale plays and ranked as the second-largest producer with 33 Bcf/d in 2023. More recently, production from the region continued to average 33 Bcf/d in the first half of 2025.
- The Permian region, in Texas and New Mexico, ranked fifth worldwide with 21 Bcf/d in 2023. Production from the Permian has since increased to average 25 Bcf/d in the first half of this year.
- The Haynesville region, in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, ranked as the eighth-largest natural gas-producing area with 15 Bcf/d in 2023. Production declined slightly to average 14 Bcf/d in first-half 2025.
Nationwide production has continued to rise, averaging 106 Bcf/d for the first half of 2025.
LNG Exports Also Lead the World
This wide margin of production leadership is a key reason behind the fact that the U.S. has also been the world's leading exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) since 2022, according to the EIA. In 2024, the U.S. exported 11.9 Bcf/d, ahead of the next largest exporters, Australia and Qatar, whose quantities have stabilized between 10.2 Bcf/d and 10.7 Bcf/d since 2020.Further Production Growth Faces Two Issues
Demand and takeaway capacity will influence future U.S. production growth, according to IIR Natural Gas Products and Senior Energy Analyst Maria Sanchez."Production will grow as demand grows, such as for power generation, LNG, and others," Sanchez said. "Gas prices are a good indicator of production growth, and as this winter begins, we are near $4/MMBtu (million British thermal units). However, we've recently had many mild winters that have pushed prices down as the season continued."
Basically, prices must be high enough for producers and pipeline companies to make a profit before new projects are likely.
"Gas prices must be above breakeven at these basins, and in the Permian and Appalachia those break-evens are low, especially in the Permian where gas is a byproduct of oil production," Sanchez continued. "There, they can't build pipelines fast enough."
"In the Appalachian, the challenge is more about getting permission. Up east, it takes longer to get pipelines approved. Haynesville has higher break-evens, so that's the reason fewer pipelines are being built there," Sanchez explained.
She concluded, "As demand grows, prices will increase, signaling the green light for pipeline expansions as breakeven extraction costs make it economical at higher gas prices."
Takeaway Progress by Basin
PermianIndustrial Info is tracking eight Permian Basin natural gas pipelines, as follows. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Pipeline Project Database can view the detailed project reports:
- Blackcomb Pipeline
- Blackfin Pipeline
- DeLa Express Pipeline
- Eiger Express Pipeline
- Gulf Coast Express Pipeline
- Hugh Brinson Pipeline (formerly Warrior Pipeline) Phase I & II
- Mustang Express Pipeline
- Trident Pipeline
Under the Trump administration some of the regulatory hurdles may be on the way out. The president has highlighted energy production (drill, baby, drill) to enhance national security, giving Appalachian producers a possible avenue forward.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) was put in service in June 2024, with capacity to carry 2.0 Bcf/d from West Virginia to Virginia.
Williams Companies (Tulsa, Oklahoma) is seeing progress on three of its proposed pipelines, including one that would deliver natural gas to New York. On November 7, the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project passed a major hurdle when the New York Department of Environmental Conservation issued three previously-denied permits critical to the pipeline's construction. For more on that, see November 11, 2025, article - New York Issues Key Permit for Previously Shunned Gas Pipeline. Subscribers can learn more from the related project reports.
In addition, Industrial Info is tracking the Chatham MVP Southgate project, a 31-mile line that will carry up to 550 MMcf/d, from Virginia to the Virginia/North Carolina border, with a planned completion in 2028.
By the Numbers
- Three: Number of U.S. basins that, were they separate nations, would be in the top 10 of natural gas producers.
- 11.9 Billion: Average cubic feet per day exported by the U.S. in 2024.
- Six: Number of new natural gas pipeline projects under way in the Permian Basin
- Not only does the U.S. lead the world in production and export of natural gas, three individual basins produce enough to rank in the top 10 if they were separate nations.
- U.S. production and exports could increase further if new takeaway capacity is built in two of those, the Appalachian and the Permian.
About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
