May Nymex natural gas (NGK24) on Friday closed up by +0.011 (+0.62%).
May nat gas prices Friday recovered early losses and posted modest gains on some pre-weekend short covering. Nat-gas prices on Friday initially moved lower on ample supplies, with US nat-gas stockpiles 38.9% above their five-year average for this time of year. Nat-gas prices were also weighed down by forecasts for warmer US temperatures, which will reduce heating demand for nat-gas. NatGasWeather said on Friday that it expects the northern US to see relative warmth from April 12-19.
Nat-gas prices have collapsed this year, with nearest-futures (NGJ24) posting a 3-3/4 year low last Tuesday as an unusually mild winter curbed heating consumption for nat-gas and pushed inventories well above average. As of March 29, US nat-gas inventories were +38.9% above their 5-year seasonal average, signaling abundant nat-gas supplies.
Nat-gas prices are also under pressure after the Freeport LNG nat-gas export terminal in Texas on March 1 shut down one of its three production units due to damage from extreme cold in Texas. The unit recently reopened on a partial basis. However, Freeport said that once the production unit is fully reopened, the other two units will be taken down for maintenance, and all three units will not return online until May. The lack of full capacity of the Freeport export terminal limits US nat-gas exports and boosts US nat-gas inventories.
Lower-48 state dry gas production Friday was 99.1 bcf/day (+0.6% y/y), according to BNEF. Lower-48 state gas demand Friday was 83.5 bcf/day (+14.5% y/y), according to BNEF. LNG net flows to US LNG export terminals Friday were 12.7 bcf/day (-0.6% w/w), according to BNEF.
An increase in US electricity output is positive for nat-gas demand from utility providers. The Edison Electric Institute reported Wednesday that total US electricity output in the week ended March 30 fell +0.13% y/y to 70,997 GWh (gigawatt hours), although cumulative US electricity output in the 52-week period ending March 30 fell -0.37% y/y to 4,094,185 GWh.
Thursday's weekly EIA report was bearish for nat-gas prices since nat-gas inventories for the week ended March 29 fell by -37 bcf, a smaller draw than expectations of -42 bcf, although a bigger decline than the 5-year average decline of -1 bcf for this time of year. As of March 29, nat-gas inventories were up +23.4% y/y and were +38.9% above their 5-year seasonal average, signaling ample nat-gas supplies. In Europe, gas storage was 59% full as of April 2, above the 5-year seasonal average of 42% full for this time of year.
Baker Hughes reported Friday that the number of active US nat-gas drilling rigs in the week ending April 5 fell by -2 to a 2-year low of 110 rigs. Active rigs have fallen since climbing to a 4-1/2 year high of 166 rigs in Sep 2022 from the pandemic-era record low of 68 rigs posted in July 2020 (data since 1987).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
