The Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that the United States will become a net exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the year 2016 and a pipeline exporter of natural gas by 2025.  When both LNG and pipeline shipments are considered, the EIA projects that the U.S. will become a net exporter by 2021. 

The U.S.'s switch from being a net importer to being a net exporter will be driven by significant increases in domestic production of natural gas, with the increased production largely being the result of the production of natural gas from shale formations using hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling.  The EIA projects that shale gas production will increase from 5.0 trillion cubic feet in 2010 to 13.6 trillion cubic feet in 2035.  The increase in total production of natural gas is illustrated by the following graph, which also illustrates the relative share of natural gas that is produced from various sources.

The EIA projects that the share of U.S. electricity production that comes from natural gas fired power plants will increase from 24% in 2010 to 27% in 2035.  The following graph shows the EIA's projections for total electricity production in the U.S., and also illustrates the relative shares of electricity generated from various energy sources.

The projections discussed in this post are contained in an "Early Release Overview" of the EIA's 2012 Annual Energy Outlook.