As Hurricane Delta bore down on the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), prompting production shut-ins, natural gas futures advanced several cents in early trading Wednesday. The November Nymex contract was up 7.5 cents to $2.595/MMBtu at around 8:40 a.m. ET.

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Delta was about 35 miles from Cancun, Mexico, as of 8 a.m. ET, moving northwest at 17 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“A west-northwestward to northwestward motion is expected over the next day or so,” the NHC said. “A slower northwestward to north-northwestward motion is forecast to begin on Thursday, and a northward motion is likely Thursday night and Friday…Delta is forecast to move over the southern Gulf of Mexico this afternoon, be over the southern or central Gulf of Mexico through Thursday, and approach...