U.S. natural gas consumption saw a small increase the week that ended Oct. 10 with an uptick in gas use for power generation, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Oct. 11 "Natural Gas Weekly Update."
Total U.S. gas consumption averaged 63.8 Bcf/d for the report week, compared with the 62.9 Bcf/d average of the previous week, the EIA reported. Gas consumption for power generation saw an increase of 4% over to the previous report week, averaging about 30.9 Bcf/d from Oct. 4 to Oct. 10 compared to the previous report week's 29.6 Bcf/d average. Overall demand, which includes exports, also rose, averaging 78.2 Bcf/d compared to the previous week's 77.5 Bcf/d.
In the residential and commercial sectors, consumption for the report week declined by 1%. Industrial gas consumption also saw a small decrease, averaging 21.0 Bcf/d compared to the prior week's 21.3-Bcf/d average.
Four LNG vessels, with a combined carrying capacity of 15.0 Bcf, left the U.S. from Oct. 4 through Oct. 10. All of the tankers left from Cheniere Energy Inc.'s Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana. One LNG tanker, with a carrying capacity of 3.8 Bcf, was loading at Sabine Pass as of Oct 10, the EIA update said. Average daily pipeline deliveries to LNG export terminals for the week fell by about 200 MMcf/d averaging 2.7 Bcf/d over the week compared to the previous week's 2.9 Bcf/d average, according to the EIA.
There were no LNG exports from Dominion Energy Inc.'s Cove Point terminal in Maryland as it is currently under planned maintenance.
Total U.S. gas supply increased by around 300 MMcf/d for the week, averaging 91.1 Bcf/d after the previous week's average of 90.8 Bcf/d. Average net imports from Canada held steady compared to the previous week, still averaging 5.1 Bcf/d from Oct. 4 to Oct. 10.
Net storage injections for the week ending Oct. 5 totaled 90 Bcf, which was an increase compared to the 81 Bcf of net injections during the same week in 2017. Working gas stocks totaled 2,956 Bcf, which was about 607 Bcf below the five-year average and 627 Bcf below the level for the same period in the previous year.