U.S. natural gas production reached an all-time high in July 2026, driven primarily by increased Permian Basin output.

U.S. natural gas production hit an all-time high in July 2026, driven primarily by increased output in the Permian Basin. Gross withdrawals—the total volume of gas extracted at the wellhead—reached a record 137 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), marking the first new monthly record for gross withdrawals in 2026 following five record-setting months in 2025.

The July increase was driven primarily by new wells coming online in Texas and New Mexico. The Permian region, encompassing parts of western Texas and eastern New Mexico, is one of the world's most prolific oil and gas regions and has been experiencing rising gas-to-oil ratios. U.S. natural gas production growth in 2025 was fueled by higher natural gas prices, continued gains in new well productivity, and increased operational efficiency.

From June to July 2026, gross withdrawals in Texas and New Mexico increased by a combined 1.7 Bcf/d, a 3.2 percent gain. Gross withdrawals also rose in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and North Dakota, each increasing by more than 0.1 Bcf/d.

New natural gas pipeline infrastructure is alleviating long-standing transport bottlenecks in Texas. The Hugh Brinson Pipeline, one such project, began interstate flows ahead of schedule this summer. These new pipelines expand takeaway capacity from the Permian Basin to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals on the Gulf Coast, supporting continued production growth.

July 2026 also set all-time records for both marketed production and dry gas production. Marketed production is calculated as gross withdrawals less gas used for repressuring, vented and flared gas, and nonhydrocarbon gases removed, while dry production represents consumer-grade natural gas and excludes natural gas plant liquids.