U.S. gross natural gas withdrawals climbed to a record 137 Bcf/d in July 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in its latest Natural Gas Monthly. The print marks the first new monthly high of 2026 and follows five consecutive record-setting months in 2025, underscoring how quickly the U.S. gas system has reset its monthly baseline over the past year.

The Permian Basin, spanning western Texas and eastern New Mexico, accounted for most of the July increase. Gross withdrawals across the two states rose by a combined 1.7 Bcf/d, or 3.2%, from June to July. EIA attributed the headline number to higher natural gas prices in 2025, continued gains in new-well productivity, and improved operational efficiency at the wellhead. The Permian remains one of the most prolific oil and gas regions in the world and has been experiencing increased gas-to-oil ratios, which means each barrel of associated liquids yields a larger gas stream as wells mature and operators target zones with higher solution gas content.

Where did the rest of the gain come from?

Smaller but material contributions came from three additional producing states:

• Louisiana: +0.1 Bcf/d
• Oklahoma: +0.1 Bcf/d
• North Dakota: +0.1 Bcf/d

Each state added more than 0.1 Bcf/d month-over-month. The directional lift across the Lower 48 indicates a broad-based production response rather than a single-basin anomaly.

How is takeaway capacity keeping pace?

Pipeline infrastructure has caught up with wellhead output. The Hugh Brinson Pipeline entered interstate service ahead of schedule this summer, expanding takeaway capacity from the Permian to LNG export terminals along the Gulf Coast. EIA flagged the project as a key enabler of continued production growth. New pipelines clear a path for additional molecule to reach liquefaction capacity currently under construction along the Texas and Louisiana coast.

What other records did July set?

The July 2026 data also set all-time highs for marketed production and dry gas production, two of the three principal output measures EIA tracks. The agency publishes three separate production estimates, each capturing a different point in the value chain:

• Gross withdrawals: total volume extracted at the wellhead (137 Bcf/d record)
• Marketed production: volume sold after lease separation and processing
• Dry gas production: volume remaining after non-hydrocarbon removal at processing plants

The convergence of all three measures at record levels indicates growth is occurring at every link — wellhead, processing, and post-processing delivery — rather than being concentrated at a single measurement point.

What is the watch item?

The August Natural Gas Monthly, due in late September, will test whether the 137 Bcf/d level holds as Permian takeaway expansions ramp and Gulf Coast liquefaction absorbs additional supply. Traders will also watch for revisions to second-quarter marketed production, which feeds LNG export economics and basis pricing at Henry Hub. With the Hugh Brinson line now flowing and more Permian gas clearing toward Gulf Coast terminals, the next data point will indicate whether the U.S. gas system can sustain a new plateau above the July high or revert toward earlier-2026 levels as maintenance cycles and basin declines bite.

EIA's Natural Gas Monthly is compiled by the Office of Energy Statistics. Principal contributors to the July 2026 release were Stacy Angel and Naser Ameen.