U.S. Natural Gas Resources and Consumption

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that total U.S. technically recoverable dry natural gas resource is 2,277 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). EIA’s estimate of combined cumulative U.S. domestic consumption and LNG exports from 2015 to 2040 represent less than 40 percent of this resource.

In addition, EIA’s estimate of the available resource is conservative. Industry estimates of the U.S. natural gas resource base are typically higher. The ICF International estimate of 4,234 Tcf is 85 percent greater. Also, resource base estimates assume “current recovery technology.” Future advances in extraction technology will increase the resource base. The U.S. has enough natural gas to supply both domestic consumption and LNG exports well into the future. America’s supply of natural gas is not threatened by LNG export amounts projected in EIA’s AEO 2016 Reference Case study.