- 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.
U.S. Natural Gas Liquids Production was 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, up 8.4% on 2022. The Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Production dataset of the U.S. from 2015 to 2023 provides a clear and consistent view of the country's NGL production landscape, highlighting output trends, production levels, supply changes, industry performance, and annual market developments over the observed period.
U.S. Natural Gas Liquids Production moved from 3,342 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (+92.4%), an average of +8.5% a year. The series high was 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 and the low 3,342 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015.
The gap between the series high (2023) and low (2015) is 3,089 Thousand Barrels Daily. The sharpest single-year move was +15.5% in 2018.
Among the 27 countries in this dataset, U.S. ranks 1 for 2023. It accounts for 47.2% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Barrels Daily.
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| Year | Thousand Barrels Daily | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023Peak | 6,431 | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 5,933 | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 5,425 | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 5,175 | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 4,824 | +10.4% |
| 2018 | 4,369 | +15.5% |
| 2017 | 3,783 | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 3,509 | +5% |
| 2015 Trough | 3,342 | — |
Regional context
Natural Gas Liquids Production by country, 2023, Thousand Barrels Daily. U.S. is highlighted.
Data definition
Natural Gas Liquids Production — - 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.
The data includes the production of all major natural gas liquids recovered from natural gas processing plants and field separation facilities, including ethane, propane, normal butane, isobutane, and natural gasoline (pentanes plus). It covers NGLs produced from both associated gas (produced alongside crude oil) and non-associated natural gas fields. Production from onshore and offshore operations is included, and the indicator reflects volumes recovered before further refining or fractionation into individual products. The data is compiled using standardized international energy reporting methodologies based on national production statistics and industry sources, enabling consistent comparison of NGL production across countries and over time.
The data excludes dry natural gas (methane) that remains in the gas stream after NGL extraction, as well as crude oil, lease condensate, refined petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) produced through refinery processing rather than direct natural gas recovery. It also excludes synthetic liquid fuels derived from coal, biomass, or gas-to-liquids (GTL) technologies unless explicitly included in the reporting methodology. The indicator does not measure NGL consumption, reserves, imports, exports, storage, or petrochemical production. Minor differences may occur due to variations in national reporting standards, processing technologies, product classifications, and estimation methodologies across countries.
Natural Gas Liquids Production — - 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 million barrels daily, the dataset reflects total NGL production and serves as an important indicator of upstream natural gas processing activity, hydrocarbon resource development, investment trends, and the overall performance of the U.S. energy sector. The dataset supports analysis of production growth, processing capacity, and evolving supply dynamics.
The U.S. produced 3.34 million barrels daily of NGLs in 2015 before increasing to 3.51 million in 2016 and 3.78 million in 2017. Production continued to rise to 4.37 million barrels daily in 2018 and 4.82 million in 2019. Output increased further to 5.18 million barrels daily in 2020, followed by 5.43 million in 2021, 5.93 million in 2022, and 6.43 million barrels daily in 2023. The sustained growth reflects expanding shale gas development, higher natural gas processing capacity, increased recovery of liquid hydrocarbons, and continued upstream investment.
Overall, the dataset demonstrates a strong and uninterrupted upward trend in U.S. NGL production throughout the review period. Rising output has strengthened domestic feedstock availability for petrochemical industries, improved export potential, and reinforced the country's position as the world's leading NGL producer. Continued technological advancement and investment have further enhanced production efficiency and supply reliability.
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.
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Definition- 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.
U.S. Natural Gas Liquids Production was 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, up 8.4% on 2022.
U.S. Natural Gas Liquids Production moved from 3,342 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (+92.4%), an average of +8.5% a year. The series high was 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 and the low 3,342 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015.
The highest value was 6,431 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 and the lowest was 3,342 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015.
Included: The data includes the production of all major natural gas liquids recovered from natural gas processing plants and field separation facilities, including ethane, propane, normal butane, isobutane, and natural gasoline (pentanes plus). It covers NGLs produced from both associated gas (produced alongside crude oil) and non-associated natural gas fields. Production from onshore and offshore operations is included, and the indicator reflects volumes recovered before further refining or fractionation into individual products. The data is compiled using standardized international energy reporting methodologies based on national production statistics and industry sources, enabling consistent comparison of NGL production across countries and over time. Excluded: The data excludes dry natural gas (methane) that remains in the gas stream after NGL extraction, as well as crude oil, lease condensate, refined petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) produced through refinery processing rather than direct natural gas recovery. It also excludes synthetic liquid fuels derived from coal, biomass, or gas-to-liquids (GTL) technologies unless explicitly included in the reporting methodology. The indicator does not measure NGL consumption, reserves, imports, exports, storage, or petrochemical production. Minor differences may occur due to variations in national reporting standards, processing technologies, product classifications, and estimation methodologies across countries.
The series is sourced from energyinst.org (https://www.energyinst.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1542714/684_EI_Stat_Review_V16_DIGITAL.pdf). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Barrels Daily.
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