Strength

The North American ethane story will continue to improve on the strength of robust natural gas liquids (NGL) production, particularly from liquids-rich gas shale plays that have become so popular with producers of late, according to executives at Oneok Partners LP.

Range Resources Corp. continues to beat production forecasts, and in the second quarter the Fort Worth, TX-based independent did it on the strength of its growing operations in the Marcellus Shale.

Range Resources Corp. continues to beat production forecasts, and in the second quarter the Fort Worth, TX-based independent did it on the strength of its growing operations in the Marcellus Shale.

The spot market continued to rely on significant heat levels for early June and prior-day futures strength in rising at all points for a second straight day Friday. Thursday’s report of a slightly below-expectations storage injection, which came out too late to impact most of that day’s cash trading, was an extra impetus for the price gains despite the typically lower industrial load during a weekend period.

June natural gas futures put on an impressive show of strength Monday, but neither short-term traders nor analysts who follow the complexities of technical wave analysis are ready to say the bear has gone into hibernation. In active trading June futures rose 15.5 cents to $4.170 and July added 14.7 cents to $4.271. June crude oil rose $1.69 to $76.80/bbl and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 405 points to 10,785.

U.S. natural gas drilling won’t collapse in a sub $4/Mcf world but it will decline through 2011, about the same time gas prices are predicted to gain strength, energy analysts said last week.

Natural gas futures bulls were unable to capitalize on Monday’s significant show of price strength Tuesday as values receded while cash market averages spiked higher. December natural gas futures closed the regular session at $4.530, down 8.4 cents from Monday’s finish.

Most cash market points went back to reporting gains Thursday after mixed action during Wednesday. The strength in cash averages occurred despite the bearish fact that the market had to digest its fifth straight triple-digit natural gas storage report (see related story).

Taking its cue from the mild screen weakness on Tuesday, the cash market strength of the last two days came to an end across the country on Wednesday except for a few spots in the Midcontinent and the West. The word on the street was that some shops closed early as traders flowed to Omaha, NE, for the culmination of the College World Series.