Discount

September natural gas futures rose a stout 11.8 cents to settle at $6.208 as traders touted the still hefty discount of natural gas to the petroleum complex and the idea that weather-driven higher prices would ultimately occur.

March natural gas futures plummeted 60.1 cents Monday to settle at $7.226 as traders continue to discount pervasive cold weather throughout the East and Midwest while focusing on seasonal and technical factors.

With Kinder Morgan Energy Partners’ (KMP) Rockies Express pipeline project under way and its own shares trading at a discount, now is an opportune time for Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) management to take the company private, an industry analyst told NGI.

Energy savings of at least 10% in January and February next year can earn Pacific Gas and Electric Co. natural gas utility customers 20% discount on their subsequent monthly bills under a program authorized Thursday by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The “10/20 Program” applies to all PG&E gas customers — residential, business, agricultural and government entities.

Finding support in the low $4.60s area, October natural gas futures on Friday settled at $4.675, down 9.2 cents on the day. The sell-off appeared to be continuing unabated as traders heading into the weekend seemed unconcerned with the remote possibility that Hurricane Frances could knock out significant Gulf of Mexico production.

Fitch Ratings on Wednesday upped its forecast for natural gas and crude oil prices this year, but it did not discount the possibility that gas prices may soften down the road due to near-term industrial demand destruction brought on by the current high prices, and that oil prices may relax by the end of the year if there is a quick resolution to any conflict with Iraq .

Tengasco Inc. shares were down 11% Tuesday despite efforts by the company to discount a class action lawsuit brought against it on Monday. Tengasco said the lawsuit was initiated by common stock short-sellers, who profit when share prices decline.

When prices hit $10 last winter, that brought numerous plans out of the woodwork for new liquefied natural gas receiving terminals. Those proposed terminals in the Bahamas, Louisiana and in Texas along with the recommissioning and expansion of existing terminals along the East Coast will have a significant impact on basis and gas prices going forward, Ben Schlesinger, president of Schlesinger and Associates, said at GasMart/Power in Reno.

Sonat plans to offer a blanket IT discount for any gas received at a Production Area zone pipeline interconnect and delivered to an interconnect in the same zone. The rate of 5 cents/Dth plus applicable fuel (includes all surcharges) will be implemented July 1 and remain in effect on a month-to-month basis until further notice. See the bulletin board for details.