Natural gas is a type of flammable gas that consists primarily of methane and other hydrocarbons. Natural gas is formed from the fossil remains of ancient animals and plants buried deep inside the Earth and is typically used for heating buildings, cooking food, drying clothes and producing electricity. The Natural Gas Supply Association, or NGSA, is the organization in the U.S. that represents suppliers and producers of natural gas. In its 2010 report, NGSA lists the Top 10 producers of natural gas in the U.S.

ExxonMobil

In its 2010 report, NGSA says that ExxonMobil produced 2,596 MMcf (1,000,000 cubic feet) of natural gas, claiming the title as the top producer of natural gas in the U.S. for 2010. On its official website, ExxonMobil describes itself as the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. ExxonMobil maintains operations in various parts of the world and is considered the leader in the oil and gas industry.

Chesapeake Energy

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, USA Chesapeake Energy is the second-largest producer of natural gas, and the most active driller of new natural gas wells in the continental United Sates. NGSA reports that Chesapeake Energy produced 2,534 MMcf of natural gas in 2010. The company focuses its operations on finding and developing unconventional natural gas and oil fields onshore in the U.S.

Anadarko Petroleum

At third place on the NGSA list of top natural gas producers in the U.S., Anadarko Petroleum yielded 2,272 MMcf of natural gas in 2010. Anadarko Petroleum says on its website that it is among the largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the world, with 2.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proven reserves at year-end 2010.

British Petroleum

British Petroleum produced 2,184 MMcf of natural gas in 2010. According to BP, it is one of the world's leading international oil and gas companies, employing more than 80,000 at operations in more than 80 countries.

Devon Energy

Devon Energy produced 1,960 MMcf of natural gas during the year 2010, making it the fifth largest producer of natural gas in the U.S. for that year. On its website, Devon Energy describes itself as a leading independent natural gas and oil exploration and production company. It also states that its operations are focused onshore in the United States and Canada. Devon Energy is a Fortune 500 company based in Oklahoma.

Encana

Occupying sixth place on NGSA's list, Encana refined 1,861 MMcf of natural gas by the end of 2010. Encana is headquartered in Alberta, Canada.

ConocoPhillips

ConocoPhillips is listed as the seventh largest producer of natural gas in the U.S. by the NGSA for 2010, with 1,777 MMcf of natural gas produced. ConocoPhillips operates in more than 30 countries worldwide. ConocoPhillips started in 1875, when its founder Isaac E. Blake envisioned making kerosene available in Ogden, Utah.

Chevron

With 1,314 MMcf of natural gas produced by the end of 2010, Chevron is ranked eighth by NGSA. Chevron started operations in 1879 when oil was discovered at Pico Canyon, north of Los Angeles. The company was originally called Pacific Coast Oil Co., later became Standard Oil Co. of California and, subsequently, Chevron.

Royal Dutch Shell

Royal Dutch Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemicals companies employing about 102,000 workers in more than 100 countries and territories. In the U.S., the company produced 1,153 MMcf of natural gas during 2010, making it ninth on the list. Shell operates in 50 states in the U.S.

EOG Resources Inc.

With a final production figure of 1,133 MMcf of natural gas in 2010, EOG Resources Inc. holds 10th place on NGSA's list of natural gas producers. EOG Resources is one of the largest independent (non-integrated) oil and natural gas companies in the United States. It has reserves in the United States, Canada, Trinidad, the United Kingdom and China.