Scattered

Prices were flat to a little more than 20 cents higher at all points Wednesday as scattered increases in cooling load combined with a few remaining areas of chilly weather, primarily in the Northeast, Rockies and Western Canada, along with the previous day’s modest 2.2-cent futures increase, to boost the cash market.

Prices were down as expected at most points Friday following the previous day’s futures dive of more than half a dollar, but a few scattered points — primarily in the Midcontinent and West — were able to defy the screen weakness and post gains. Cooling load was slowly spreading northward from the South through the Southwest but was not substantive enough yet outside the southern U.S. to make a market difference.

Only three scattered points failed to see March-ending prices continue to advance Friday, and their losses were small at 2-5 cents. The rest of the market remained on an upward track as cold weather stubbornly refused to leave northern market areas, and chilly conditions were slated to return in the eastern South. The weekend decline of industrial load apparently had little impact on pricing.

Prices managed to rebound Friday at quite a few scattered points as the March aftermarket got launched, but a majority of the cash market continued to slide due to forecasts of a mild weekend across much of the southern tier of states and seasonable conditions in most other areas. The drop of industrial demand that accompanies a weekend contributed to overall bearishness.

EnCana Corp. is considering whether to sell some of its “small, scattered assets” in its U.S. portfolio, and an as-yet unformed master limited partnership (MLP) could be a potential buyer, CEO Randy Eresman said Thursday.

EnCana Corp. is considering whether to sell some of its “small, scattered assets” in its U.S. portfolio, and an as-yet unformed master limited partnership (MLP) could be a potential buyer, CEO Randy Eresman said Thursday.

Losses of up to a dime at several scattered points, primarily in Appalachia and the Gulf Coast, kept price advances from running the board Monday. Predictions of above-normal temperatures this week in the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. and buzz about the possibility of a disturbance moving toward southern Florida from the Bahamas strengthening and getting into the Gulf of Mexico were the chief market boosters.

Only a few scattered points missed out on a continued moderate rally in a majority of the market Wednesday. Once again, buying to replace storage gas that was withdrawn during the recent weeks-long heat wave was believed to be the primary support for cash numbers, although high temperatures across much of the southern U.S. are still contributing significant power generation load.

Prices at a few scattered locations were flat to slightly lower Tuesday, but most of the cash market recorded gains ranging from a little less than a nickel to a quarter; most were in double digits. The gains were attributed largely to continued demand for storage injections with the traditional injection season still less than two weeks old.