Note

The final three months of 2007 ended on an up note for some of the largest North American natural gas producers, with higher earnings, higher cash flow and a slight bump in expected output, despite the “unmerited bearish concern for U.S. gas supply” created by the Independence Hub in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), the Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, energy analysts said Friday.

Bringing to a close a week of large moves in both directions, February natural gas futures ended on a high note Friday. After recording a high of $7.190, the contract closed out the week 27 cents higher at $7.175, up 27 cents on the day and 28.9 cents higher than the previous Friday’s close. February options went off the board Friday and February futures will follow suit Monday.

Does today’s gas market remind you at all of 2001? If you’re an energy analyst at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. (FBR) it does. In a research note last week, a trio of FBR analysts enumerate exactly how the current market is like 2001, and how it’s not.

Does today’s gas market remind you at all of 2001? If you’re an energy analyst at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. (FBR) it does. In a new research note, a trio of FBR analysts enumerate exactly how the current market is like 2001, and how it’s not.

Taking a break from its recent trend lower, August natural gas futures on Monday gapped higher to open and finished on a positive note. The prompt month closed out the day at $5.608, up 8.5 cents from Friday’s close.

The rumblings of a nasty gas market reversal can be heard loud and clear, said Lehman Brothers analyst Thomas Driscoll in a research note, predicting the current price collapse would continue into the summer.

The rumblings of a nasty gas market reversal can be heard loud and clear, said Lehman Brothers analyst Thomas Driscoll in a research note, predicting the current price collapse would continue into the summer.

Going out on a weak note, May natural gas futures went off the board Wednesday after completing its fifth consecutive trading day of lower settles. After notching a low of $7.000, May expired at $7.198, down 5.6 cents on the day.

Freeport LNG Development LP on Tuesday said it closed on $383 million of private placement note funding with nine institutional investors for the construction of the first phase of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on Quintana Island in Brazoria County, TX.