The outlook for added feed gas demand in the coming months is beginning to firm, portending a possible tight supply balance next year.

Earlier in the week, Cheniere Energy Inc. asked FERC for permission to connect the first train of its Stage 3 expansion at Corpus Christi to power and gave an update of its progress to start the commissioning progress. The company will have to file separate requests for approval before being able to introduce gas to the Texas project, but the connection of power facilities is typically a sign that systems may be ready for broader testing.

In the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, researchers estimated the Plaquemines and Corpus Christi Stage 3 liquefied natural gas projects could help boost net...