The U.S. is the largest NGL producer in the world

The U.S. accounted for 49% of global natural gas liquids (NGLs) production in 2024 and produced more than four times the amount of the second largest producer, Saudi Arabia. Production in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2015, with the rapid expansion of ethane and propane. NGLs are found in raw natural gas streams and are extracted at processing plants before the natural gas is marketed. Together, ethane and propane represent 72% of U.S. NGL production. Propane is commonly used as a feedstock in petrochemical plants to make plastics or as a fuel for heating or drying. Ethane is primarily used as a petrochemical feedstock. Record production has also helped support rising U.S. exports of propane and ethane.