Generally

Prices rose at all points Thursday. But while quotes were firmer at most or all points Monday or Tuesday in spite of generally light weather-based load, this time they could count on some heating or cooling load in a few areas to go along with prior-day futures support. One source also cited storage buying as a market booster.

Environmentalists and energy industry advocates are generally praising a Roan Plateau plan by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, who Thursday called on federal officials to compromise in their plans for the northwestern landmark. Ritter wants to increase the federally protected lands around the Roan by 72%, but he also wants natural gas drillers to have access via narrow corridors.

Environmentalists and energy industry advocates are generally praising a Roan Plateau plan by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, who Thursday called on federal officials to compromise in their plans for the northwestern landmark. Ritter wants to increase the federally protected lands around the Roan by 72%, but he also wants natural gas drillers to have access via narrow corridors.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes generally do not avoid the U.S. market when gas prices here are low, according to analysts at Barclays Capital, who offer a list of other factors that drive LNG movement to the United States far more than price.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes generally do not avoid the U.S. market when gas prices here are low, according to analysts at Barclays Capital, who offer a list of other factors that drive LNG movement to the United States far more than price.

Prices rose moderately in most of the cash market Monday despite generally mild weather forecasts, but for the third week in a row quotes plunged to sub-dollar levels in the Rockies. A series of pre-dawn explosions on several gas pipelines in Mexico helped stoke some bullish sentiment as U.S. gas may be called upon to help replace Mexican supply shortfalls, although the U.S. export capability is limited (see related story).

FERC Commissioner Philip Moeller said Tuesday he is generally supportive of opening access to new sources of natural gas and believes building energy infrastructure should be a national priority.

Spring officially began Tuesday evening, and despite a warming trend in the Midwest along with generally moderate weather already occupying the South, cash prices rose at a large majority of points that day. Several Rockies points spiked by dollar-plus amounts in rebounding from big plunges Monday, while most of the small losses were concentrated in Appalachia and at Northeast citygates.

A prior-day screen advance of less than a dime contended for primary influence on Wednesday’s cash market with generally moderate weather fundamentals and expectations that Thursday morning’s storage report will show that the industry returned to net injection mode last week. The results were mixed, with most points remaining close to flat and few straying more than about a dime up or down from Tuesday’s levels.