American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2015 - 21

IndustryDigest
says allows users to view, graph and
download statistics by sector, year, and
greenhouse gas.
Enteric fermentation from cattle is
the largest anthropogenic source of
methane missions in the United States.
In 2013, those methane emissions were
up 400,000 metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent since 1990, to 164.5
million metric tons equivalent, as cattle
populations increased, EPA says.
Natural gas systems are the secondlargest anthropogenic source category.
Since 1990, methane emissions have
dropped 21.8 MMt, to 157.4 MMt,
which EPA credits to a decrease in
emissions from production and
distribution, including increased use of
plunger lifts for liquids unloading and
voluntary reduction activities.
The report is available at
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghg
emissions/usinventoryreport.html. ❒

U.S. Crude Production
Still Above 9.0 MMbbl/d

WASHINGTON-U.S. crude oil
production April rose above 9.0 million
barrels a day for the seventh straight
month, says the American Petroleum
Institute's Monthly Statistical Report,
hitting 9.3 MMbbl/d.
Crude oil stocks ended in April at
483.9 million barrels, the highest April
inventory in 85 years. Crude stocks
were up 3.2 percent from the prior
month, and up by 23.1 percent from the
prior year.
Domestic oil production in April
increased by 8.6 percent from April
2014, but was down by 0.5 percent
from March, API says. Compared with
year to date 2014, U.S. crude
production increased by 12.6 percent,
the third-highest production level since
April 1973 and the highest April and
year-to-date levels in 42 years.
Natural gas liquids production also
increased in April, and was up from the
prior month, year and year-to-date
levels. The report says NGL production
averaged nearly 3.1 MMbbl/d in the
month, the highest April mark ever, and
just 59,000 barrels below the all-time
production record set in October 2014.
According to the latest reports from
Baker-Hughes Inc., the number of oil
and natural gas rigs in the United States
in April was 976, a drop of 11.9 percent

from the previous month and 46.8
percent below the year-ago level. The
April number is the lowest monthly total
since August 2009, and keeps the
average number of oil and gas rigs below
2,000 for the 40th consecutive month.
U.S. total petroleum imports in April
averaged nearly 9.7 MMbbl/d, down by
1.1 percent from the prior month, but
1.0 percent higher compared with the
prior year, API says. April's import
level was the second-lowest mark for
the month of April since 1996. Year-todate total imports were up 2.3 percent,
compared with year-to-date 2014, to
just above 9.5 MMbbl/d.
Total petroleum deliveries in April
increased by 0.7 percent from April
2014, to average 18.9 MMbbl/d, the
highest April deliveries in five years,
API says. Compared with March, total
domestic petroleum deliveries, a
measure of U.S. petroleum demand,
decreased by 1.3 percent. For year-todate, total domestic petroleum deliveries
jumped by 2.0 percent compared with
the same period last year. ❒

DOE Gives Cove Point
OK For Its LNG Exports

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Energy
Department has issued its final
authorization for Dominion Cove Point
LNG LP to export domestically
produced liquefied natural gas to
countries that do not have a free trade
agreement with the United States. The
authorization allows the terminal in
Calvert County, Md., to export LNG up
to the equivalent of 770 million cubic
feet a day for 20 years.
Under the Natural Gas Act, DOE
must grant export authorizations to nonFTA countries unless it finds the
proposed exports inconsistent with
public interest.
Both the American Petroleum
Institute and America's Natural Gas
Alliance praised the issuance.
Cove Point will help harness the
country's natural gas boom, and create
jobs across Maryland, predicts Erik
Milito, API director of upstream and
industry operations. While it represents
a milestone for natural gas exports, he
says a streamlined approval process
would boost employment even faster
and add billions of dollars in economic
activity to many communities.

"We applaud the DOE for allowing
Cove Point past the finish line, and we
urge the administration to continue
working with leaders in Congress who
are ready to streamline this process and
open the doors to free trade," Milito
says.
ANGA President and Chief
Executive Officer Marty Durbin says
the approval is a positive step toward
allowing the country to reap the
advantages of natural gas development.
"From jobs and economic benefits to
increased energy security, exporting
natural gas makes good sense for
America and our allies," Durbin says.
"It also allows a greater level of energy
prosperity around the world, and
cleaner air." ❒

Gas Storage Levels
Increase By 391 Bcf

WASHINGTON-Underground
natural gas storage in the United States
stood at 2.101 trillion cubic feet on May
22, 0.8 percent below the five-year
average, according to the U.S. Energy
Information Administration. That was
up 391 billion cubic feet from the 1.710
Tcf reported by EIA on April 24, which
was 4.2 percent below the five-year
average. However, the May 22 storage
number was 737 Bcf more than a year
ago, when storage stood at 1.364 Tcf.
EIA reports gas storage in the
producing region stood at 900 Bcf on
May 22, 6.8 percent above the five-year
average and 148 Bcf more than the 752
Bcf reported in storage on April 24,
which was 0.9 percent above the fiveyear average. The May 22 storage
number for the producing region was up
360 Bcf from a year ago.
In the eastern region, EIA reports,
gas storage on May 22 was 806 Bcf,
14.3 percent below the five-year
average, but up 209 Bcf from the 597
Bcf reported in storage on April 24,
which was 20.7 percent below the fiveyear average. The May 22 storage
number for the eastern region was up
229 Bcf, compared with a year earlier.
In the western region, EIA reports,
storage levels on May 22 were 395 Bcf,
17.9 percent above the five-year average
and up 34 Bcf from the 361 Bcf reported
on April 24, which was 25.3 percent
above the five-year average. The May 22
storage number in the western region
was up 148 Bcf from a year ago. ❒
JUNE 2015 21
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html
American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2015

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