The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects U.S. natural gas production to average a record 122.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2026, according to the their August Short-Term Energy Outlook. That would top the previous record of 118.5 Bcf/d, set just last year, and continue America’s run as the world’s largest natural gas producer – a title the United States has held every year since 2009.
Two Basins Power the Boom
Through the first half of 2026, U.S. production averaged 121.3 Bcf/d, up 4 percent from the same period in 2025. EIA attributes most of that growth to two regions: the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico, and the Haynesville Shale in Louisiana and East Texas.
In the Permian, EIA expects natural gas production to average 29.2 Bcf/d in 2026, 6 percent more than in 2025. Notably, as the basin’s reservoirs mature, the gas-to-oil ratio rises and each barrel of oil comes with more natural gas.
The Haynesville is growing even faster in percentage terms. Production there rose 7 percent (1.1 Bcf/d) in the first half of the year, and EIA forecasts 9 percent growth for full-year 2026. The geology makes that growth notable: at 10,500 to 13,500 feet, the Haynesville ranks among the deepest shale plays in the Lower 48. The basin plays a crucial role for America’s energy dominance given that Haynesville gas sits next door to the Gulf Coast’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals and one of the world’s largest industrial and petrochemical corridors.
The Buildout Behind the Record
While more pipeline capacity is certainly needed through permitting reform, midstream developers are attempting to match that production growth with new takeaway capacity. EIA reports that Texas originates two-thirds of the 44.9 Bcf/d of new U.S. pipeline capacity planned for 2026 and 2027, and nearly 70 percent of that capacity is already under construction. For example:
- The WhiteWater-led Blackcomb Pipeline is slated to enter service in the third quarter of this year, moving 2.5 Bcf/d of Permian gas from the Waha hub to Agua Dulce in South Texas.
- Energy Transfer’s Hugh Brinson Pipeline follows in the fourth quarter, ramping to 2.2 Bcf/d by early 2027.
- Targa’s 2.0 Bcf/d Apex Pipeline will carry Permian gas all the way to Port Arthur.
The LNG buildout is on a similar timeline. Golden Pass LNG, the QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil joint venture near Port Arthur, began producing LNG this spring and shipped its first cargo to become America’s ninth LNG export terminal, with two more trains to follow into early 2027. Industry analysts expect U.S. LNG export capacity to climb from about 17 Bcf/d at the end of 2025 to more than 19 Bcf/d this year, on a path to exceed 30 Bcf/d by early next decade after developers sanctioned six additional projects in 2025 alone.
The bottom line: EIA’s forecast confirms what the buildout across Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana already shows: American producers and midstream developers are investing to meet growing demand from LNG exports, industry, and data centers. The United States is an energy powerhouse – and consumers and allies alike are better off because of it.
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