Domestic gross natural gas production saw a modest decline in May from the previous month despite gains from major producing states Louisiana and Oklahoma, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a recent report.

In its “Form EIA-914 Monthly Natural Gas Production Report,” the EIA reported that the U.S. gross production level for May was 62.84 Bcf/d, down 0.51 Bcf/d, or 0.08%, from April’s output of 63.35 Bcf/d but still approximately 1.22 Bcf/d above the 61.62 Bcf/d production level posted in April 2008.

The producing states showing the biggest gains in May were Oklahoma and Louisiana. Oklahoma ended the month with production of 5.19 Bcf/d, up 0.09 Bcf/d, or 1.8%, from April’s 5.10 Bcf/d, while Louisiana posted 4.15 Bcf/d in May, up 0.09 Bcf/d, or 2.2%. The production gains in Louisiana were from new wells in the Haynesville Shale area, and from workovers and curtailed wells that were placed back into production, the EIA said.

The biggest month-to-month losers were Texas and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Texas, the most prolific state for natural gas, turned in total production of 21.27 Bcf/d in May, down 0.47 Bcf/d, or 2.2%, from April’s level of 21.74 Bcf/d. Production in the GOM in May was 6.75 Bcf/d, which was 0.09 Bcf/d, or 1.3%, less than April’s output of 21.74 Bcf/d. The EIA said the declining production was due to significantly lower natural gas prices, plant maintenance and equipment problems.

Other gas-producing states that posted losses in May were Wyoming with total production of 7.02 Bcf/d, or 0.8% below the April level of 7.08 Bcf/d, and New Mexico with a May level of 4.04 Bcf/d, or 0.5% below April’s output of 4.06 Bcf/d.

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