Flat

A few flat to a little more than a dime higher western points notwithstanding, most of the cash market continued to sink Monday as what appeared to be the last vestiges of winter weather receded into the distance. Although one forecaster believed winter had one last blast of cold conditions left in it for next week, most traders were discounting any major surge of demand before spring officially arrives March 20.

A few flat to a little more than a dime higher western points notwithstanding, most of the cash market continued to sink Monday as what appeared to be the last vestiges of winter weather receded into the distance. Although one forecaster believed winter had one last blast of cold conditions left in it for next week, most traders were discounting any major surge of demand before spring officially arrives March 20.

Flat to barely higher numbers continued to dominate the cash market Wednesday as sub-freezing lows accompanied by snow in some cases were in the next-day forecasts for the Midwest, Northeast, the eastern half of the South, the Rockies and most of Canada. Gains ranged as high as a little more than a dime in Transco’s Zone 6-New York pool but were in single digits in nearly all instances.

Flat to barely higher numbers continued to dominate the cash market Wednesday as sub-freezing lows accompanied by snow in some cases were in the next-day forecasts for the Midwest, Northeast, the eastern half of the South, the Rockies and most of Canada. Gains ranged as high as a little more than a dime in Transco’s Zone 6-New York pool but were in single digits in nearly all instances.

A few flat to about a nickel higher points in the Rockies, where Wednesday lows were due to sink into the teens, were the exceptions to price dips throughout the rest of the market Tuesday. A futures decline of 9.7 cents a day earlier contributed to the bearishness along with analyst reports of early February forecasts indicating that the weather would not be quite as cold as previously expected.

A few flat to about a nickel higher points in the Rockies, where Wednesday lows were due to sink into the teens, were the exceptions to price dips throughout the rest of the market Tuesday. A futures decline of 9.7 cents a day earlier contributed to the bearishness along with analyst reports of early February forecasts indicating that the weather would not be quite as cold as previously expected.

Goodrich Petroleum Corp. is keeping its capital spending in 2010 flat compared with 2009, but natural gas-heavy volumes still are forecast to jump 15-25%, the producer said Thursday.

Xcel Energy said natural gas use by Colorado customers will likely be higher in September, but prices for the fuel will stay relatively flat. Xcel predicted that average customer bills next month will be lower than they were in September 2008.

The latest economic stimulus package in British Columbia (BC) has taken the form of slashed royalties on new natural gas wells. BC cut royalties to a token, a flat 2% for one year on wells drilled between this September and June of 2010. The move is seen as a way to compete with rival Alberta, which has its own stimulus package for drillers.