Western Gas Market Review - January 2010

Western Natural Gas Prices

Canadian Gas at Kingsgate, ID

The December 2009 average daily price of Canadian gas at Kingsgate, ID was $5.46/mmBtu.  This was 3.7 percent lower than the $5.66/mmBtu December 2008 average and 19 percent lower than the $6.74/mmBtu December 2007 average.

Rocky Mountain Gas at Opal, WY

The December 2009 average daily price of Rocky Mountain gas at Opal, WY was $5.13/mmBtu.  This was 12 percent higher than the $4.56/mmBtu December 2008 average and 14 percent lower than the $5.99/mmBtu December 2007 average.

Southwestern Gas at the Southern California Border

The December 2009 average daily price of Southwestern gas at the Southern California Border was $5.50/mmBtu.  This was 2.4 percent higher than the $5.38/mmBtu December 2008 average and 20 percent lower than the $6.90/mmBtu December 2007 average.

Intercontinental Exchange

Working Gas in Western Underground Storage

Net gas withdrawals for December 2009 totaled 73 Bcf, decreasing Western underground storage levels to 453 Bcf.  This volume is 13 percent higher than the December 2008 storage level of 400 Bcf and 13 percent above the five year average December storage level of 402 Bcf.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Western Natural Gas Production

Natural gas production in the Western U.S. for the 12 months ending in December 2009 averaged 12.7 Bcf/day.  This was 3.0 percent higher than production for the comparable 2008 period and 12 percent higher than production for the comparable 2007 period.

Bentek Energy, LLC

Western Rig Count

The Western states rotary rig count for the week ending December 31, 2009 was 185, a decrease of 128 rigs or 41 percent from the year-ago count.  It is a decrease of 40 percent from the five year average December rig count of 309.

Baker Hughes

Western Imports

Imports of Canadian natural gas into the Western U.S. for the 12 months ending in December 2009 averaged 2.6 Bcf/day. This was 1.9 percent higher than imports for the comparable 2008 period and 3.6 percent lower than imports for the comparable 2007 period.

Bentek Energy, LLC

Western Natural Gas Demand

Natural gas demand in the Western U.S. for the 12 months ending in December 2009 averaged 11.0 Bcf/day. This was 3.9 percent lower than demand for the comparable 2008 period and 3.4 percent higher than demand for the comparable 2007 period.

Bentek Energy, LLC

Return to January 2010 Western Energy News

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