Natural Gas Liquids Production โ - Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Production refers to the total volume of liquid hydrocarbons recovered from natural gas during production and processing within a given year. It is typically measured in thousand barrels per day (kb/d) and includes hydrocarbons that are separated from natural gas streams because they condense into liquids under normal surface conditions. Major components include ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, and natural gasoline (pentanes plus). This indicator reflects a country's capability to recover valuable liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas production and is widely used to assess upstream gas processing activity, hydrocarbon resource utilization, and supply of feedstocks for petrochemical, heating, and transportation applications.
Measured in thousand barrels daily, the dataset reflects total NGL production and serves as an important indicator of natural gas processing activity, hydrocarbon resource utilization, investment trends, and the overall performance of Canada's energy sector. The dataset supports evaluation of production growth and long-term supply trends.
Canada produced 525 thousand barrels daily of NGLs in 2015 before increasing to 595 thousand in 2016 and 597 thousand in 2017. Production rose further to 647 thousand barrels daily in 2018 and 682 thousand in 2019. Output declined slightly to 660 thousand barrels daily in 2020 before recovering to 669 thousand in 2021, 708 thousand in 2022, and 718 thousand barrels daily in 2023. The overall increase reflects continued development of natural gas resources, expanded processing infrastructure, and sustained upstream investment.
Overall, the dataset illustrates a positive long-term growth trend with only minor fluctuations during the review period. Canada's NGL production continues to support domestic petrochemical industries, energy exports, and industrial demand while benefiting from abundant natural gas reserves and efficient processing operations. The steady increase also highlights the resilience of the country's midstream and upstream energy sectors.
The dataset serves as a valuable resource for monitoring national NGL production performance, evaluating supply trends, assessing upstream investment, supporting market analysis, forecasting future production, and enabling policymakers, researchers, investors, and industry stakeholders to develop effective energy strategies and production planning.