The U.S. Energy Department's weekly inventory release showed a build-up in natural gas supplies towards the lower end of expectations. However, the increase in storage was still well above the 5-year average rate, as benign fall temperatures continue to restrict the commodity’s demand for power burn amid robust production.
The Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report — brought out by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) every Thursday since 2002 — includes updates on natural gas market prices, the latest storage level estimates, recent weather data and other market activities or events.
The report provides an overview of the level of reserves and their movements, thereby helping investors understand the demand/supply dynamics of natural gas.
It is an indicator of current gas prices and volatility that affect businesses of natural gas-weighted companies and related support plays like Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC), Chesapeake Energy (CHK), EnCana Corp. (ECA), Devon Energy Corp. (DVN), Nabors Industries (NBR), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), Helmerich & Payne (HP) and Halliburton Co. (HAL).
Stockpiles held in underground storage in the lower 48 states rose by 89 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ended September 16, 2011, at the lower end of the guidance range (of 89–93 Bcf gain) of the analysts surveyed by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Companies Inc (MHP).
The increase – the twenty-fourth injection in as many weeks – is larger than both last year’s build-up of 78 Bcf and the 5-year (2006–2010) average addition of 72 Bcf for the reported week. The current storage level at 3.201 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) is down 129 Bcf (3.9%) from last year and is 35 Bcf (1.1%) below the five-year average.
A supply glut had pressured natural gas futures for most of 2010, as production from dense rock formations (shale) – through novel techniques of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing – remained robust, thereby overwhelming demand.
Storage amounts hit a record high of 3.840 Tcf in November last year, while gas prices during 2010 fell 21%. As a matter of fact, natural gas prices have dropped more than 70% from a peak of about $13.60 per million Btu (MMBtu) to the current level of around $3.75, in between sinking to a low of $2.50 in September 2009.
However, stocks of the commodity slid approximately 2.261 Tcf during the five-month period (November 5, 2010 to April 1, 2011) on the back of a colder-than-normal end to this past winter, production freeze-offs in January/February, and the steadily declining rig count.
These factors cut into the U.S. supply overhang, thereby creating a deficit in natural gas inventories after erasing the hefty surplus over last year’s inventory level and the five-year average level.
But with the end of the peak cooling loads for summer, natural gas prices continue to be under pressure against the backdrop of sustained strong production and tepid industrial demand in a weak economy.
ANADARKO PETROL (APC): Free Stock Analysis Report
CHESAPEAKE ENGY (CHK): Free Stock Analysis Report
DEVON ENERGY (DVN): Free Stock Analysis Report
ENCANA CORP (ECA): Free Stock Analysis Report
HALLIBURTON CO (HAL): Free Stock Analysis Report
HELMERICH&PAYNE (HP): Free Stock Analysis Report
MCGRAW-HILL COS (MHP): Free Stock Analysis Report
NABORS IND (NBR): Free Stock Analysis Report
PATTERSON-UTI (PTEN): Free Stock Analysis Report
Get all Zacks Research Reports and be alerted to fast-breaking buy and sell opportunities every trading day.
Be the first to comment