Amerikaanse aardgasprijzen stijgen door hitte en LNG-vraag
Belangrijkste punten
- •De Amerikaanse aardgasprijzen stegen naar $2.94/MMBtu, het hoogste niveau in bijna acht weken.
- •De temperaturen blijven naar verwachting tot halverwege september in het centrale deel van de VS grotendeels boven normaal, wat de vraag naar gasgestookte stroom ondersteunt.
- •De gemiddelde gasstromen naar de negen belangrijkste LNG-exportterminals stegen begin september tot 18.3 bcfd, van 17.2 bcfd in augustus.
- •Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi-faciliteit en Freeport LNG in Texas hervatten na onderhoud de volledige activiteiten.
- •De aardgasproductie in de Lower 48 bedroeg in augustus een record van 111.5 bcfd, waardoor de markt ruim bevoorraad bleef.
US natural gas prices rose to $2.94/MMBtu, reaching their highest level in nearly eight weeks, as hot weather persisted and LNG export activity strengthened. The move comes with the market balancing short-term demand gains against abundant domestic supply, a dynamic that remains central to gas pricing.
Forecasts indicate that temperatures will remain mostly above normal across the central US through mid-September, likely keeping demand for gas-fired power generation elevated. In late-summer gas markets, weather often plays an outsized role because cooling demand can quickly shift daily consumption patterns.
At the same time, average gas flows to the nine major LNG export plants rose to 18.3 bcfd in early September, up from 17.2 bcfd in August, as Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi facility and Freeport LNG in Texas returned to full operations following maintenance. Higher LNG throughput matters because it directly increases feedgas demand and can tighten the balance between domestic supply and exports.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border, although no significant operational disruptions were reported at LNG facilities in the region so far. Gulf Coast export terminals remain a key part of the US gas market because weather-related interruptions can affect flows quickly, even when broader supply conditions are stable.
On the supply side, production in the Lower 48 states averaged a record 111.5 bcfd in August, up from 110.7 bcfd in July, keeping the market well supplied and limiting the upside for prices. That level of output also helps explain why price gains have remained modest despite stronger demand signals.
Source: Trading Economics
