Prices

With winter cold settling in and natural gas futures prices rising, the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (Nymex) said Friday that it is increasing the margins for its natural gas futures, Henry Hub swap futures, Henry Hub penultimate swap futures, Nymex miNYTM natural gas futures and Henry Hub swing swap futures. The changes were to go into effect at the close of business Monday.

The continuance of heavy heating load and a major prior-day screen spike were sufficient to propel prices further upward at most points Friday. However, prospects for a bit of moderation in cold weather in several areas, the typical slump of industrial demand over a weekend and the easing or lifting of OFOs and similar pipeline constraints (see Transportation Notes) allowed a few instances of flat or softer numbers to remain in the market.

With winter cold settling in and natural gas futures prices rising, the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (Nymex) announced Friday that it is increasing the margins for its natural gas futures, Henry Hub swap futures, Henry Hub penultimate swap futures, Nymex miNYTM natural gas futures and Henry Hub swing swap futures, for the second time in a week (see Daily GPI, Dec. 6). The exchange also said Friday that it is upping natural gas index swap futures. The latest increases are scheduled to go into affect at the end of the day Monday, Dec. 12.

Cash prices again relied on the continuing spread of cold weather and prior-day screen support to keep the overall market moving upward Friday. However, unlike the solid advances recorded in the first two days of December aftermarket trading, several flat to lower points — primarily in the West — surfaced in quotes for weekend flows.

The acquisition of Koch’s natural gas liquids (NGL) business in July, coupled with higher prices, volumes and margins, lifted Tulsa-based Oneok Inc.’s third quarter earnings up significantly, with net income soaring to $184.5 million ($1.70/share) from $20.8 million (19 cents) in 3Q2004.

Saying it had no choice in the face of the skyrocketing wholesale natural gas prices, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Thursday raised the natural gas rates for Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities’ 66,000 retail customers in the state by an average of 23.8%, effective Tuesday. The $15.2 million rate hike is strictly to cover the utility’s increased cost of gas supplies.

Riding the support of both cold weather demand and a prior-day futures spike of more than a dollar, natural gas cash prices were up strongly again Wednesday across the board. Gains ranged from a little less than a dime to nearly $1.10. A large majority of the increases were at least 40 cents or more.

Record energy prices offset the negative impact from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, sending Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) 3Q profit up 12% from a year ago. Third quarter net income slightly surpassed analysts’ expectations, to stand at $124.8 million ($1.01/share), compared with $111.9 million (90 cents) for the same period of 2004. Master limited partnership Kinder Morgan Partners LP (KMP) earnings were up 18% for the quarter, contributing $144.2 million, compared with $122.1 million a year ago.

After raising its natural gas futures related margins five times in a month to deal with escalating prices (see Daily GPI, Sept 23), the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (Nymex) finally announced a decline in margins on Thursday. Nymex said it will decrease margins for its natural gas futures, Henry Hub swap futures, Nymex miNY natural gas futures, Henry Hub swing swap futures, and Henry Hub penultimate swap futures contracts, effective at the close of business Friday.