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Physical natural gas prices across the country retreated on average by about 7 cents Monday, but Northeast locations had to endure double-digit losses, and in southern California prices were flat to a couple of cents higher. At the close of futures trading the April contract was down by 5.5 cents to $2.269 and May futures had fallen 5.2 cents to $2.373. April crude oil dropped $1.06 to $106.34/bbl.

All cash points retreated Tuesday with most sliding in double-digits as the physical market caught up with Monday’s late-session slide in futures and adjusted for continued weather moderation for much of March.

Futures and the cash market parted ways Wednesday with the cash market holding on to gains of a few cents at most points and the futures stumbling to a double-digit loss as traders attempt to factor in what looks like another surplus-building inventory report Thursday and a revised weather outlook. At the close March had fallen 10.7 cents to $2.425 and April retreated 8.4 cents to $2.616. March crude oil added $1.06 to $101.80/bbl.

Natural gas cash averages for the most part Thursday gained or lost a few pennies, but Northeast points saw double-digit gains as temperatures in New England were expected to drop and pipelines issued curtailments.

Physical and futures prices both registered double-digit losses on the final day of bidweek Tuesday as cash prices caught up with the late-session futures slide on Monday, and futures just kept trekking lower Tuesday as the market couldn’t shake the ongoing dynamics of ever-increasing storage surpluses and forecasts of mild weather expected to prolong the pounding market bulls have been taking.

Cash prices around much of the country on Monday rose about a dime, excluding double-digit losses posted at a number of eastern points. Traders ascribed the gains primarily to an early surge in March futures. However, the late session futures decline should result in lower cash quotes Tuesday.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. last week curtailed 0.5 Bcf/d, or 8%, of its operated gross natural gas output in the U.S. onshore and said “if conditions warrant” it was prepared to double its curtailment to as much as 1 Bcf/d. The second biggest gas producer in the United States also cut by by half its operated gas drilling activity and slashed dry gas spending by 70% this year.

The global market for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) services continues to grow at a double-digit pace but not nearly as much as in 2011 since natural gas prices have begun to discourage exploration, according to a survey by Spears & Associates Inc.

Calgary’s Pembina Pipeline Corp. and Provident Energy Ltd. agreed Monday to merge in a C$3.2 billion ($3.1 billion) transaction that would create a Canadian giant with oil and natural gas pipelines to transport crude and natural gas liquids (NGL), midstream gas processing and an energy marketing arm.