Natural gas prices have corrected as the powerful winter storm across the East Coast and freezing temperatures along the eastern U.S. passed. Geopolitical concerns are supporting gains in natural prices on concern tensions between Russia and Ukraine could potentially restrict gas flows to Europe. Last week EIA reported an expected draw of -222 Bcf of working gas in storage. With the global energy crisis LNG exports continue to grow but we balance supply shortages with deliverability.
Into The Vortex Contents
Click on the links below to navigate to the relevant section.
- EIA Natural Gas Storage Forecast and Analysis
- Natural Gas Quick Summary
- Rig Watch
- Weather
- LNG and Export Watch
- Natural Gas Import Watch
- Natural Gas Demand Watch
- Nuke Watch
- Natural Gas Futures Technical Analysis
- Option Volatility and Gamma
- DCOT Report
EIA Weekly Storage Report
- Report Date:2/3/2022 Via TradersCommunity.com
- Release Time: Thursday 2/10/2022 10:30 a.m. ET
- Market Expectations
- Actual – 222 Bcf Prior -268 Bcf
- Consensus Forecast -222 Bcf
- Cons. Range: -214 to – 230 Bcf
- Last Year: -174 Bcf
- 5 Year Average: – 150 Bcf
- Reuters consensus for end of season 1608 Tcf.
Summary
Working gas in storage was 2,101 Bcf as of Friday, February 4, 2022, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decrease of 222 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 441 Bcf less than last year at this time and 215 Bcf below the five-year average of 2,316 Bcf. At 2,101 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
Last Week’s Report -206 Bcf #TCNG
Broken down by region
- South Central region -74 Bcf decrease -50 Bcf in nonsalt facilities and -24 Bcf in salts
- Midwest -85 Bcf decrease
- East -56 Bcf decrease
- Mountain -12 Bcf decrease
- Pacific -15 Bcf dncrease
Current Storage Level vs. Last Year; 5-Yr
- Current Storage Level: 2101 Bcf
- Storage 2020/Same Week: 2,542 Bcf
- 5Yr Avg/Same Week: 2,316 Bcf
via Brynne Kelly @BrynneKKelly
Global Natural Gas Quick Overview
Via Ole S Hansen @Ole_S_Hansen
Natural Gas Market Price Influence Factors
Bearish Factors Include
- Economic damage and reduced natural gas demand caused by the Covid pandemic,
- Warm U.S. winter that resulted in weak demand for natural gas for heating.
- Over long spec positions
- Expectations that the high level of oil prices would increase shale drilling and natural gas extraction as a by-product
Bullish Factors Include
- Record foreign demand for U.S. nat-gas as flows to U.S LNG export terminals on April 18 rose to a record 11.921 bcf (data from 2014) and after U.S. LNG exporters loaded a record 81 cargoes in November, breaking the previous record of 75 set January of 2020,
- Expectations that the low level of oil prices will reduce shale drilling and natural gas extraction as a by-product
- Tighter U.S. nat-gas supplies that are down -14.8% y/y and -2.6% below their 5-year average.
- High power burns
- Perception that gas supply and demand are more inelastic than ever before.
- Over short spec positions
Rig Watch
Baker Hughes active rigs total in the U.S. onshore and Gulf of Mexico (GOM)
- US Baker Hughes Rig Count 11-Feb: 635 (est 617; prev 613)
- Rotary Gas Rigs: 118 (est 116; prev 116)
- Rotary Oil Rigs: 516 (est 501; prev 497)
US Oil Rigs w/w changes by key shale basins
- Permian +7 to 301
- Eagle Ford +5 to 47
- Williston +2 to 33
- Cana Woodford unchanged at 25
- DJ Niobrara unchanged at 12
“Rig activity…would need to increase by about 36 weekly through year-end to reach a sustainable plateau to hold current oil volumes in 2022.” –Mizuho via Reuters 12/17/21
Comments by executives of multi-basin super independent EOG Resources Inc. mirrored those for many Lower 48 management teams.
“We’re not going to grow until the market clearly needs the barrels,” EOG President Ezra Yacob told analysts during a call Thursday. “We’re committed to staying disciplined. Currently, we want to see demand return to pre-Covid levels.”
Talking About The Weather
Gulf of Mexico
European Energy Crisis
The energy crisis pounding the world with unheard of prices was impacting the domestic pricing. In Europe we are seeing up near record highs again. U.S. fundamentals only have the domestic gas market in bear territory with mild weather and low demand.
Back to the panic levels of October.
- Dutch TTF natural gas closes at €105.77 per MWh (**3rd highest ever settlement**).
- UK NBP closes at 268.80p per therm (3rd highest too).
- European gas inventories have fallen to a level typical of mid-January
In the EU markets the energy crisis is deepening with prices soaring with an unplanned outage cutting supplies from the giant Troll field in Norway. Coming on top of geopolitical worries, freezing cold weather and dwindling stocks. Emissions trades up to compensate for higher coal demand
La Nina
“A weather-roiling La Nina appears to have emerged across the equatorial Pacific, setting the stage for worsening droughts in California and South America, frigid winters in parts of the U.S. and Japan and greater risks for the world’s already strained energy and food supplies. The phenomenon—which begins when the atmosphere reacts to a cooler patch of water over the Pacific Ocean—will likely last through at least February, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center said Thursday. There is a 57% chance it be a moderate event, like the one that started last year, the center said. While scientists may need months to confirm whether La Nina has definitely returned, all the signs are indicating it’s here.” October 14 – Bloomberg (Brian K. Sullivan)
Paths of Recent Gulf Hurricanes
Technical Analysis via KnovaWave
Henry Hub Natural Gas Futures Weekly Chart Outlook via @KnovaWave
Daily: US Natural Gas completed 3 waves correcting the daily 8/8 spit correction to 7/8. This was in turn correcting the daily 8/8 spit after a classic euphoria wave 5.Two clear alternatives, we are correcting the highs 5 or that was a 3 and we go higher. We closed right at the Tenkan which is our pivot next week. Meaning that 3 was either an a i or iv– impulse in a nutshell.
The Cloud top after broke Kijun and Tenkan with a kiss of life. Meaning that 3 was either an a i or iv– impulse in a nutshell. Prior to this move the adjunct failure of the 50dma and Tenkan opened up the retest of 3.80-3.60 last time which fueled this week’s move higher. From there we fell sharply to the Kijun, A completion of 4 (bear) or (i) of 5 (bull)
Notice the fractals of the move after completing the C of 4 bullish scenario played out the consolidation phase since it completed its IV (Bull Case) last year since then a series of 3 waves. For the bulls all this needs to hold for the highs to be a (iii) looking at possibilities we have the 161.8% at 7.026 if we get ‘silly’ 50dma support.
Like the larger wave on the way up it accelerated through previous highs (flat topped triangle energy) and over the resistance at 8/8 and new highs. We successfully tested that break in a pennant ABC. Previous highs (flat topped triangle energy) and 8/8 and new highs underscore the structure that fed the move and is key longer term.
Weekly: Another sharp reversal, like the previous impulsive spikes. We saw a false break of the Kijun to close back at the Tenkan. This move isa fractal of the classic double top playing out after a spit of the weekly Kijun was sent back off Tenkan only to reverse all the way to spit the 50wma for the energy needed. Resistance is Kijun and Murrey Grid. The Natural gas rebalanced after continued to fail and retrace with impulse after reaching its major target, the double top potential from 2014 which equated nicely to over 8/8 Weekly and showed true impulse off that to rebalance Chikou. It’s now a question of degree, 3 or 5? Impulse just shy of the 8/8 and Tenkan confluence. A question of continuation with the 50wma as resistance and cloud as support.
Natural Gas Production
Natural Gas Exports Watch
LNG
Natural Gas feed to LNG facilities Sabine Pass, Cameron, Elba Island, Cove Point & Corpus Christi
++Charts via RonH @RonH999 – Visit Ron for daily updates
U.S. liquefied natural gas exports were at record high levels in the first half of 2021
Natural Gas Mexican Exports Watch
via RonH Energy
US natural gas exports to Mexico established a new monthly record in June 2021
Natural Gas Canada Import Watch
Source via RonH Energy
Natural Gas Demand Watch
via RonH Data @ronh999
Natural Gas Nuclear Power Watch
Source: via RonH Data @ronh999
ALERT Three Mile Island nuclear shut down permanently on Friday afternoon 9/292019.
Natural Gas Options Structure – Volatility (COT)
NYMEX ON NATURAL GAS OPTIONS CommodityVol.com @CommodityImpVol
NYMEX ON = NATURAL GAS OPTIONS (Live Link)
Natural Gas Futures Commitment of Traders
Disaggregated Commitment of Traders (DCOT) via RonH Data @ronh999 @ole_s_hansen
Latest ICE and CFTC Open Interest Data:
Natural Gas DCOT futures only managed money traders WoW change
(Note at NG peak Highest Longs Ever 87% (since 2006) Lowest Longs 2020 24%)
- For week ending Feb 1
- Natural Gas DCOT futures only managed money traders WoW change
- +5,717 longs,
- -32,008 shorts,
- +37,725 net change,
- 56.5% net long
Understanding DCOT Reports
Read Understanding Commitments of Traders Reports – COT, TFF and DCOT to help understand the disaggregated reports (DCOT) and how they break down the reportable open interest positions into four classifications:
1. Producer/Merchant/Processor/User 2. Swap Dealers 3. Managed Money 4. Other Reportables
Sources: TradersCommunity, EIA, RonH Energy, The Fundamental Edge, KnovaWave
From The TradersCommunity US Research Desk