U.S. natural gas production and demand will rise in 2021 as the economy recovers after falling last year due to coronavirus demand destruction, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday. The EIA projected dry gas production would rise to 93.37 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2021 and 95.97 bcfd in 2022 from 91.49 bcfd in 2020. That compares with an all-time high of 92.87 bcfd in 2019. The agency also projected gas consumption would rise from 83.26 bcfd in 2020 to 83.46 bcfd in 2021 before sliding to 83.10 bcfd in 2022. That compares with a record high of 85.29 bcfd in 2019. The EIA"s December projections for 2021 exceeded its November forecasts of 93.34 bcfd for supply and 83.03 bcfd for demand. The agency forecast U.S. liquefied natural gas exports would reach 9.80 bcfd in 2021 and 11.49 bcfd in 2022, up from a record 6.53 bcfd in 2020. That is similar to its November forecasts of 9.81 bcfd in 2021 and 11.49 bcfd in 2022. The EIA projected U.S. coal production would rise to 583 million short tons in 2021 and 621 million short tons in 2022 from 535 million short tons in 2020, its lowest since 1965, as power plants burn more coal due to a forecast increase in gas prices. The EIA projected carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels would rise to 4.891 billion tonnes in 2021 and 4.939 billion tonnes in 2022 as power generators burn more coal. That is up from 4.575 billion tonnes in 2020, which was the lowest since 1983. Reporting by Scott DiSavino Editing by Will Dunham and Mark Potter Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.