Natural gas production in the Lower 48 states declined in June for the first time since last December, down 1.2%, or 0.81 Bcf/d, according to the latest 914 production data released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The EIA production report for June — the latest month for which figures are available — shows gas output fell to 64.29 Bcf/d from 65.10 Bcf/d in May. However, it was above June 2009’s level of 62.92 Bcf/d.

Overall onshore production in June “fell 0.5 Bcf/d (0.9%) month-to-month and increased 2.5 Bcf/d (4.4%) year-to-year. The month-to-month onshore decline [was] aided by a 0.4 Bcf/d decline in Wyoming,” said Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities Inc. Onshore supply has been on the flat side since March, though it’s still 2.5 Bcf/d more from a year ago.

Total U.S. production — Lower 48 states, Gulf of Mexico and Alaska — fell 1.6% to 71.96 Bcf/d from 73.11 Bcf/d in the previous month. This is slightly more than the 71.33 Bcf/d production level that was reported in June 2009. The “Gulf of Mexico continued a four-month slide as production declined 4.8%, or 0.30 Bcf/d, [to 5.98 Bcf/d in June] because of Hurricane Alex and pipeline problems,” EIA said.

Onshore natural gas output fell in nearly all major producing states with the exception of Louisiana. Its production rose 3.4% to 6.17 Bcf/d in June and was considerably ahead of June 2009’s level of 4.05 Bcf/d, according to EIA.

Wyoming’s production in June fell 5.5% to 6.53 Bcf/d from 6.91 Bcf/d in May and was below its year-ago level of 7.13 Bcf/d. “New Mexico production sank to the lowest level since 1992, 3.62 Bcf/d,” the agency reported. Other producing states did not fare much better: Oklahoma production in June fell 0.2% to 5.05 Bcf/d; Texas output dipped 1.4% to 20.45 Bcf/d; and Alaska output dropped 4.2% to 7.67 Bcf/d in June.

Gas production from other states, which the EIA does not break out separately, was up 0.7% to 16.49 Bcf/d from May but was significantly below the 14.66 Bcf/d reported a year ago.

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