The United States set another production record in 2025. Total energy production reached an unprecedented 107 quadrillion British thermal units (quads)—up 3.4 percent from the previous record set in 2024. This marks the fourth straight year of record-setting U.S. energy output, driven primarily by historic natural gas production that continues to power America’s economy and strengthen global energy security.

Natural Gas Leads the Way

American natural gas production surged to a record 39 trillion cubic feet in 2025, representing a four percent increase from the prior year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Monthly Energy Review. Most of that growth came from three key producing regions: Appalachia, the Permian Basin, and the Haynesville formation. EIA’s regional data show those regions accounted for 67 percent of total marketed gas production in 2025 and 81 percent of the year’s growth.

Source: Energy Information Administration

The milestone reinforces a trend that began over a decade ago. Natural gas has been America’s largest source of domestic energy production since 2011, the same year the United States became the world’s largest natural gas producer. The country has held that title ever since. In 2025, natural gas accounted for the largest share of U.S. energy output, underscoring its critical role in meeting both domestic electricity demand and growing international needs.

This production growth comes at a pivotal moment. As EID has previously examined, U.S. electricity consumption is rising after more than a decade of flat demand, driven largely by data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and industrial expansion. Natural gas remains the most flexible and scalable option for meeting peak demand and balancing the grid when renewables fall short, making it indispensable for reliable, affordable power.

Meeting Domestic and Global Demand

The surge in natural gas production is meeting demand on two fronts: domestic power generation and international exports. At home, natural gas accounts for almost 40 percent of the U.S. power mix, continuing to provide dispatchable, around-the-clock electricity that modern infrastructure requires. Abroad, U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are breaking records and reshaping global energy markets.

In 2025, U.S. LNG exports averaged 14.7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), up from 11.9 Bcf/d in 2024. The United States now supplies 55 percent of Europe’s LNG, helping European nations reduce dependence on Russian gas. This export growth is expected to continue driving natural gas demand, with projections indicating demand growth of approximately 5 to 9 percent through 2026.

Source: AGA 2025-2026 Winter Heating Outlook

This dual demand highlights why continued production growth and infrastructure expansion are essential. As EIA’s 2026 outlook makes clear, meeting rising power demand and expanding LNG exports will require significantly more natural gas supply and the pipelines to move it from production hubs like Appalachia to Gulf Coast export terminals.

Production Growth Paired with Environmental Progress

Record production has not come at the expense of environmental performance. U.S. producers continue to demonstrate that output growth and emissions reductions can advance together. Methane emissions intensity in the Permian Basin—one of the nation’s most prolific natural gas regions—dropped by more than 50 percent from 2022 to 2024, even as the basin contributed nearly half of U.S. oil production and over 20 percent of natural gas output. Nationwide, methane emissions have declined 40 percent since 2015, even as production increased by more than 50 percent.

Bottom Line: EIA’s latest data confirms that American natural gas production is reaching historic levels at exactly the right time. With output from Appalachia, the Permian, and Haynesville, the United States is meeting surging domestic electricity demand at home and expanding LNG demand abroad. To sustain this momentum, policymakers must support the infrastructure investments needed to ensure American natural gas can reach the markets that need it most.