America pumped more natural gas than ever in 2025, and prices still fell to one of the lowest levels in decades — proof that drilling our way to abundance actually works.
Quick Take
- The U.S. hit record natural gas production while Henry Hub prices stayed near historic lows, according to federal energy data.
- An EQT executive says U.S. prices barely moved while international gas prices spiked, crediting American energy independence.
- U.S. natural gas exports jumped over 28% in 2025, cutting into the leverage hostile regimes hold over our allies.
- Federal forecasters warn that rising exports could push domestic prices higher, a real tension conservatives should watch closely.
- Utility bills depend on more than drilling — pipelines, grid upgrades, and state regulators all play a role too.
Record Production Meets Low Prices
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the 2024 Henry Hub average was the lowest inflation-adjusted price on record. The agency pointed to record-breaking natural gas production as a key reason prices stayed low even as demand climbed. For years, the left told Americans that more drilling meant more pollution and higher costs. The numbers say otherwise.
Toby Z. Rice, CEO of natural gas producer EQT, put the stakes in blunt terms during a recent interview. He said international gas prices jumped by roughly $10 per thousand cubic feet during a recent shock, while U.S. prices rose only about 10 cents. Rice credited American energy independence for shielding consumers here while other countries scrambled. Rice runs a gas company, so his numbers deserve scrutiny, but the broader trend lines up with federal data showing the U.S. riding out global turmoil better than most.
Exports Are Surging Fast
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reported that U.S. net natural gas exports hit 16 billion cubic feet per day in 2025, up 28.2% from the year before. Liquefied natural gas exports alone climbed from 11.9 to 15.1 billion cubic feet per day. Every cubic foot of American gas sold to allies in Europe and Asia is one less dollar flowing to Russia or Iran. That is energy independence doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
Rice’s comments, made during a broader discussion about natural gas, artificial intelligence data centers, and national security, also flagged a real bottleneck: pipeline and export infrastructure. He called on Congress to pass permitting reform so new projects can get built faster. That is not a radical ask. It is the same red tape complaint conservatives have made for years about Washington slow-walking American energy.
The Honest Warning Sign
Here is where conservatives need clear eyes instead of cheerleading. The Energy Information Administration has separately forecast that rising LNG export demand could outpace supply growth and push Henry Hub prices higher through 2026. Reuters reported that Henry Hub prices rose 61% over the prior year even as exports kept climbing, raising real questions about whether booming exports and cheap household gas can coexist forever.
That does not mean energy independence is a scam. It means the policy bundle matters. More production without more pipelines, more export terminals without more supply growth, and more drilling without permitting reform could squeeze households even as America exports record volumes abroad. Separate federal modeling has estimated added exports could raise combined end-use gas expenses by 3% to 9% over a twenty-year stretch. Conservatives who demand energy dominance should also demand the infrastructure to back it up.
Bills Depend on More Than Drilling
Wholesale gas prices are only one piece of a household bill. Pipeline access, utility operating costs, state regulation, and local grid conditions all factor in too. New York lawmakers recently warned that new nuclear projects have run billions over budget and years behind schedule, pointing to Georgia’s Vogtle plant as a cautionary tale before sticking ratepayers with the bill. That is a fair warning against blank-check green energy mandates, not an argument against American oil and gas.
The Affordability Election: Energy Independence Is How We Stop Paying for Everyone Else’s Chaos https://t.co/Y5RN0plG7m
— Bigmoe (@Bigmoe16574013) October 25, 2026
The bottom line for working families: cheap, abundant American energy is a conservative success story this administration should keep building on. But success depends on pairing production with real permitting reform, honest pricing data, and regulators who stop letting utilities pad bills while blaming Washington. Energy independence means producing our own power and making sure the benefits actually reach the kitchen table, not just the export terminal.
Sources:
redstate.com, reuters.com, eia.gov, hgeo.energy.gov, eenews.net
