Western Gas Market Review - April 2010

Western Natural Gas Prices

Canadian Gas at Kingsgate, ID

The March 2010 average daily price of Canadian gas at Kingsgate, ID was $4.27/mmBtu.  This was 23 percent higher than the $3.48/mmBtu March 2009 average and 52 percent lower than the $8.84/mmBtu March 2008 average.

Rocky Mountain Gas at Opal, WY

The March 2010 average daily price of Rocky Mountain gas at Opal, WY was $4.14/mmBtu.  This was 61 percent higher than the $2.57/mmBtu March 2009 average and 50 percent lower than the $8.26/mmBtu March 2008 average.

Southwestern Gas at the Southern California Border

The March 2010 average daily price of Southwestern gas at the Southern California Border was $4.44/mmBtu.  This was 40 percent higher than the $3.16/mmBtu March 2009 average and 50 percent lower than the $8.96/mmBtu March 2008 average.

Intercontinental Exchange

Working Gas in Western Underground Storage

Net gas withdrawals for March 2010 totaled 7 Bcf, decreasing Western underground storage levels to 289 Bcf.  This volume is 2.5 percent higher than the March 2009 storage level of 282 Bcf and 28 percent above the five year average March storage level of 226 Bcf.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Western Natural Gas Production

Natural gas production in the Western U.S. for the 12 months ending in March 2010 averaged 12.6 Bcf/day.  This was 0.6 percent higher than production for the comparable 2009 period and 10 percent higher than production for the comparable 2008 period.

Bentek Energy, LLC

Western Rig Count

The Western states rotary rig count for the week ending March 26, 2010 was 201, an increase of 19 rigs or 10 percent from the year-ago count.  It is a decrease of 31 percent from the five year average March rig count of 293.

Baker Hughes

Western Imports

Imports of Canadian natural gas into the Western U.S. for the 12 months ending in March 2010 averaged 2.6 Bcf/day. This was 4.1 percent higher than imports for the comparable 2009 period and 2.8 percent lower than imports for the comparable 2008 period.

Bentek Energy, LLC

Western Natural Gas Demand

Natural gas demand in the Western U.S. for the 12 months ending in March 2010 averaged 10.9 Bcf/day. This was 3.9 percent lower than demand for the comparable 2009 period and 1.8 percent lower than demand for the comparable 2008 period.

Bentek Energy, LLC

Return to April 2010 Western Energy News

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