January

January natural gas is expected to open 11 cents lower Monday morning at $3.98 as the market extends Friday’s 27-cent drop on the heels of a more tempered weather outlook. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

January natural gas is set to open 2 cents lower Wednesday morning at $4.38 as traders match forecasts of renewed cold with what is likely to be the first triple-digit withdrawal of the young heating season. Overnight oil markets slipped.

December natural gas is set to open 19 cents lower Friday morning at $4.30 as traders jettison forecasts of cold next week in favor of estimates of near-term warming. Overnight oil markets surged higher.

November natural gas is set to open 3 cents lower Monday morning at $3.59 as market bulls unsuccessfully scan the weather horizon for supportive developments and for the moment shun any hedging activity. Overnight oil markets fell.

A return to robust natural gas production growth from the Other States category — home to several shale-rich states — wasn’t enough to keep the U.S. production total from decreasing to 85.02 Bcf/d in February, down 0.18 Bcf/d compared with 85.20 Bcf/d in January, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

A return to robust natural gas production growth from the Other States category — home to several shale-rich states — wasn’t enough to keep the U.S. production total from decreasing to 85.02 Bcf/d in February, down 0.18 Bcf/d compared with 85.20 Bcf/d in January, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

North Dakota’s record-setting pace for oil and natural gas production continued to slow for the most recent month reported, and the prospects are for the slowing trend to continue at least through March, the state’s top oil/gas official said Thursday.

Crude oil and natural gas production in Texas both showed gains in December from year-ago levels, and 2013 production of oil was up significantly while natural gas production declined from 2012 levels, according to preliminary data from the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

Multiple polar vortices, which brought chilling cold to a large swath of the country last month and continuing cold over much of the nation, are driving the number of recorded heating degree-days (HDD) to unusual highs, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data.