EIA Home
Home  >  Natural Gas  >  Navigator
Natural Gas Navigator
 Definitions, Sources and Explanatory Notes

 Category:   Natural Gas Consumption
 Topic:   State Shares of U.S. Deliveries

  Definitions

Key Terms Definition
Commercial Consumption Gas used by nonmanufacturing establishments or agencies primarily engaged in the sale of goods or services. Included are such establishments as hotels, restaurants, wholesale and retail stores and other service enterprises; gas used by local, State, and Federal agencies engaged in nonmanufacturing activities.
Delivered (Gas) The physical transfer of natural, synthetic, and/or supplemental gas from facilities operated by the responding company to facilities operated by others or to consumers.
Electric Power Consumption Gas used as fuel in the electric power sector.
Industrial Consumption Establishments engaged in a process which creates or changes raw or unfinished materials into another form or product. Generation of electricity, other than by electric utilities, and agricultural uses are included.
Residential Consumption Gas used in private dwellings, including apartments, for heating, air-conditioning, cooking, water heating, and other household uses.
Vehicle Fuel Consumption The quantity of fuel used by vehicles. Vehicle fuel consumption is computed as the vehicle miles traveled divided by the fuel efficiency reported in miles per gallon (MPG). Vehicle fuel consumption is derived from the actual vehicle fuel mileage collected and the assigned MPGs obtained from EPA certification files adjusted for on-road driving.

For definitions of related energy terms, refer to the EIA Energy Glossary.

  Sources

Form EIA-176, "Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply and Disposition" , Form EIA-759, "Monthly Power Plant Report" , EIA-906, "Power Plant Report," EIA-886, "Annual Survey of Alternative Fueled Vehicle Suppliers and Users"; and EIA estimates.

  • Background on "Natural Gas Annual" data
  • Natural Gas Survey Forms and Instructions
  • Electric Survey Forms and Instructions

    •   Explanatory Notes

  		• Beginning in 1996, consumption of natural gas for agricultural use was classified as industrial use. In 1995 and earlier years, agricultural use was classified as commercial use.
  		• From 1967 through 1979, data for the District of Columbia are included with data for Maryland.
  		• From 1967 through 1979, data for New Hampshire and Vermont are included with data for Maine.
  		• Cautionary note: EIA expects that there may be some double counting in the number of residential and commercial customers reported beginning in 1999. EIA collects information on the number of residential and commercial consumers through a survey of companies that deliver gas to consumers Form EIA-176, "Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply and Disposition" . The survey asks companies for the number of residential and commercial customers served as sales customers as well as customers to whom they deliver gas purchased from others. Traditionally, residential and commercial customers obtained gas and all services associated with delivering it from their local distribution company (LDC). The LDC records these customers as sales customers. Customer choice programs allow consumers to select the provider from whom they purchase gas. When customers elect to purchase gas from a provider other than the LDC, the LDC continues to deliver the gas to the customer even though it no longer sells the gas. When customers switch to another provider, they become transportation service customers for the LDC. A residential or commercial customer who enters a customer choice program may be classified both as a traditional sales customer and, after entering the program, as a transportation service customer. This double reporting affects the number of residential and commerical consumers measured. Customer choice programs, also known as retail unbundling programs, have been ongoing since 1998. Description of programs for States offering customer choice.
  		• Statistical Considerations (Sample Design, Estimation Procedures, Final Revisions, Reliability of Monthly Data).