US Natgas Prices Ease on Warmer Forecasts
US natural gas futures fell more than 7% to $6.27 per MMBtu after an unprecedented roughly 117% rally over the previous five sessions, as forecasts shifted warmer and some frozen wells returned to service. Commodity Weather Group projected slightly less severe cold in Texas and Louisiana through the end of the month, while Appalachia and the US Northeast remain colder than normal. Output in the Lower 48 was on track to rise to 93.5 bcfd on Tuesday after falling to two-year lows of 92.4-92.5 bcfd over the weekend, following about 50 bcfd of production offline due to frozen wellheads. LNG feedgas is set to recover to 13.7 bcfd after hitting a one-year low of 11.6 bcfd on Monday. PJM Interconnection declared a level-1 emergency for Tuesday, requiring all power plants to be ready at full capacity, and the Energy Department authorized temporary power diversions from large industrial users to protect households and hospitals.