U.S. marketed natural gas production is on pace to reach a new record in 2026, with growth concentrated in the Permian and Haynesville regions. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts production will average 122.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) this year, surpassing the previous record of 118.5 Bcf/d set in 2025. During the first half of 2026, production averaged 121.3 Bcf/d, approximately 4% higher than the same period last year.
The Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico remains a major driver. EIA forecasts Permian natural gas production will average 29.2 Bcf/d in 2026, up 6% from 2025. Much of that supply is associated gas produced alongside crude oil. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude averaged approximately $84 per barrel through July 2026, supporting continued oil-directed drilling, while increasing gas-to-oil ratios are adding additional natural gas volumes from producing wells.
OilGasLeads’ year-to-date well data reinforces the scale of this activity. Among 7,435 U.S. wells drilled YTD where the reported substance is gas or includes gas, Texas accounts for 3,557 records and New Mexico another 1,179. Together, the two states represent approximately 64% of the dataset, demonstrating how strongly current gas-related well activity is concentrated in the Permian states.
Top 10 States by Gas-Related Wells Drilled YTD
| Rank | State | Wells |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3,557 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 1,179 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 395 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 358 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 296 |
| 6 | Colorado | 275 |
| 7 | Louisiana | 225 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 221 |
| 9 | Utah | 187 |
| 10 | Ohio | 147 |
The geographic distribution shows that gas-related drilling extends well beyond dedicated gas plays. Texas and New Mexico account for 4,736 wells, while North Dakota ranks third with 395, reflecting associated gas generated alongside oil development. Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Ohio provide greater exposure to gas-directed development in the Appalachian and Haynesville regions.
Top 10 Plays/Basins by Gas-Related Wells Drilled YTD
| Rank | Play / Basin | Wells |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Permian Basin | 3,519 |
| 2 | Eagle Ford / Austin Chalk | 717 |
| 3 | Appalachian Basin – Marcellus/Utica | 578 |
| 4 | Williston Basin / Bakken | 435 |
| 5 | Anadarko Basin / STACK-SCOOP | 320 |
| 6 | Haynesville / East Texas | 241 |
| 7 | Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin | 228 |
| 8 | Haynesville Shale – Louisiana | 196 |
| 9 | Powder River Basin | 176 |
| 10 | Uinta Basin | 170 |
The Permian accounts for approximately 47% of all gas-related wells in the dataset, with 3,519 records. The Eagle Ford/Austin Chalk ranks a distant second with 717, followed by the Marcellus/Utica at 578 and Williston/Bakken at 435. Combining the Texas and Louisiana Haynesville categories produces approximately 437 wells, highlighting another important concentration of gas-focused activity.
Haynesville production itself increased by 1.1 Bcf/d, or 7%, during the first half of 2026, according to EIA. Full-year production is forecast to increase approximately 9%, or 1.3 Bcf/d. Unlike the Permian, Haynesville development is primarily gas-directed. EIA expects activity to remain economic with the Henry Hub natural gas price averaging $3.44 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2026, while proximity to Gulf Coast liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities and industrial consumers supports continued development.
Top 10 Operators by Gas-Related Wells Drilled YTD
| Rank | Account | Wells |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exxon (XTO) | 558 |
| 2 | Devon Energy Corporation | 433 |
| 3 | OXY USA Inc. | 393 |
| 4 | ConocoPhillips Company | 361 |
| 5 | EOG Resources, Inc. | 328 |
| 6 | Diamondback Energy, Inc. | 320 |
| 7 | Chevron U.S.A. Inc. | 218 |
| 8 | SM Energy Company (Civitas) | 193 |
| 9 | Mewbourne Oil Company | 191 |
| 10 | Permian Resources Corporation | 161 |
Operator activity is similarly concentrated among companies with substantial exposure to oil and liquids-rich basins. Exxon (XTO) leads the dataset with 558 wells, followed by Devon Energy with 433 and Occidental’s OXY USA with 393. ConocoPhillips, EOG Resources and Diamondback Energy each have more than 300 gas-related wells in the YTD data. The rankings illustrate why rising U.S. gas supply cannot be viewed solely through the activity of traditional gas producers—oil-directed drilling continues to generate substantial incremental gas volumes.
Industry Impact
Record U.S. gas production, combined with the concentration of drilling in the Permian and other high-activity basins, creates an important market signal for drilling contractors, completion providers, compression companies, pipeline operators, gas processors, water-service companies and equipment suppliers. The Permian’s growing associated-gas volumes increase requirements for gathering, compression, processing and takeaway infrastructure, while gas-directed Haynesville development remains closely tied to Gulf Coast LNG and industrial demand. For suppliers tracking near-term opportunities, operator-level well activity provides an additional indicator of where capital and field-service requirements are being deployed.
U.S. Gas Hits Record as Permian Leads YTD Well Activity
Two-Sentence Summary
U.S. marketed natural gas production is forecast to reach a record 122.5 Bcf/d in 2026, with the Permian and Haynesville providing major sources of growth. OilGasLeads YTD data identifies 7,435 gas-related wells drilled, including 3,519 in the Permian, with Exxon (XTO), Devon Energy and OXY USA leading operator activity.
Author: phinds