UPDATE 1-US natural gas futures ease as LNG export flows hit four-month low

Adds latest prices

LNG export flows drop to four-month low due to plant maintenance, LSEG data shows

Mild weather boosts gas storage, but output declines narrow inventory surplus, analysts say

Warmer June forecast expected to lift gas demand for power generation

By Scott DiSavino

- U.S. natural gas futures eased on Tuesday as daily flows to liquefied natural gas export plants dropped to a four-month low.

Front-month gas futures for July delivery NGc1 on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 1.2 cents, or 0.4%, to settle at $3.167 per million British thermal units.

Financial group LSEG said average gas output in the U.S. Lower 48 states fell to 108.8 billion cubic feet per day so far in June, down from 109.7 bcfd in May and a monthly record high of 110.6 bcfd in December 2025.

AMPLE GAS IN STORAGE

Analysts said mild spring weather allowed energy firms to stockpile more gas than usual.

But they noted recent output declines likely reduced the surplus of gas in inventories to around 5.9% above normal during the week ended May 29, down from 6.2% above normal the previous week. EIA/GAS NGAS/POLL

Meteorologists forecast the weather would remain mostly warmer than normal through June 17, which should boost demand for gas from power generators to keep air conditioners humming. About 40% of U.S. electricity generation comes from gas-fired power plants.

LSEG projected average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would rise from 98.2 bcfd this week to 101.0 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were similar to LSEG's outlook on Monday.

Average gas flows to the nine big U.S. LNG export plants fell from 17.1 bcfd in May to 16.0 bcfd so far in June due to spring maintenance at several plants, including ExxonMobil XOM.N/QatarEnergy's Golden Pass facility and Freeport LNG's plant in Texas. That compares with a monthly record high of 18.8 bcfd in April.

On a daily basis, LNG feedgas was on track to drop to a four-month low of 15.7 bcfd on Tuesday.

Week ended May 29 Forecast

Week ended May 22 Actual

Year ago May 29

Five-year average (2021-2025) May 29

U.S. weekly natgas storage change (bcf):

+100

+92

+119

+101

U.S. total natgas in storage (bcf):

2,583

2,483

2,581

2,440

U.S. total storage versus 5-year average

+5.9%

+6.2%

Global Gas Benchmark Futures ($ per mmBtu)

Current Day

Prior Day

This Month Last Year

Prior Year Average 2025

Five-Year Average (2021-2025)

Henry Hub NGc1

3.20

3.18

3.64

3.62

3.79

Title Transfer Facility (TTF) TRNLTTFMc1

16.22

16.62

12.38

11.94

18.51

Japan-Korea Marker (JKM) JKMc1

18.68

18.30

13.05

12.24

18.12

LSEG U.S. Global Forecast System (GFS) Heating, Cooling and Total Degree Days

Two-Week Total Forecast

Current Day

Prior Day

Prior Year

10-Year Norm

30-Year Norm

U.S. GFS Heating Degree Days (HDD)

8

9

20

20

23

U.S. GFS Cooling Degree Days (CDD)

170

165

138

138

130

U.S. GFS Total Degree Days (TDD)

178

174

158

158

153

LSEG U.S. Weekly GFS Supply and Demand Forecasts

Prior Week

Current Week

Next Week

This Week Last Year

Five-Year (2021-2025) Average for Month

U.S. Supply (bcfd)

U.S. Lower 48 Dry Production

109.8

109.9

110.4

105.8

100.6

U.S. Imports from Canada

6.5

6.5

6.2

N/A

7.7

U.S. LNG Imports

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Total U.S. Supply

116.3

116.4

116.6

N/A

108.3

U.S. Demand (bcfd)

U.S. Exports to Canada

2.6

2.0

2.1

N/A

2.3

U.S. Exports to Mexico

7.5

7.1

7.3

N/A

6.7

U.S. LNG Export Feedgas

17.1

16.5

16.6

13.9

12.0

U.S. Commercial

5.0

4.7

4.5

4.7

5.0

U.S. Residential

4.5

4.2

3.8

4.1

4.2

U.S. Power Plant

34.4

34.5

37.6

35.3

39.1

U.S. Industrial

21.7

21.7

21.6

22.3

21.8

U.S. Plant Fuel

5.4

5.4

5.5

5.4

5.2

U.S. Pipe Distribution

1.9

1.9

2.0

1.9

3.0

U.S. Vehicle Fuel

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.2

Total U.S. Consumption

73.0

72.5

75.1

73.8

78.5

Total U.S. Demand

100.2

98.2

101.0

N/A

99.5

N/A = Not Available

U.S. Northwest River Forecast Center (NWRFC) at The Dalles Dam (fiscal year ending September 30)

2026 Current Day % of Normal Forecast

2026 Prior Day % of Normal Forecast

2025 % of Normal Actual

2024

% of Normal Actual

2023

% of Normal Actual

Apr-Sep

89

89

76

74

83

Jan-Jul

93

93

78

76

77

Oct-Sep

97

98

80

77

76

U.S. weekly power generation percent by fuel - EIA

Week ended Jun 5

Week ended May 29

2025

2024

2023

Wind

13

10

11

11

10

Solar

11

10

6

5

4

Hydro

7

7

6

6

6

Other

1

1

1

1

2

Petroleum

0

0

0

0

0

Natural Gas

36

39

40

42

41

Coal

12

14

18

16

17

Nuclear

21

20

18

19

19

SNL U.S. Natural Gas Next-Day Prices ($ per mmBtu)

Hub

Current Day

Prior Day

This Month Last Year

Prior Year Average 2025

Five-Year Average (2021-2025)

Henry Hub NG-W-HH-SNL

3.07

3.34

3.12

3.52

3.72

Transco Z6 New York NG-CG-NY-SNL

1.90

2.09

2.34

3.53

3.56

PG&E Citygate NG-CG-PGE-SNL

1.63

1.81

3.12

3.42

5.47

Eastern Gas (formerly Dominion South) NG-PCN-APP-SNL

1.85

2.07

2.17

2.79

2.96

Chicago Citygate NG-CG-CH-SNL

2.65

2.66

2.76

3.23

3.60

Algonquin Citygate NG-CG-BS-SNL

2.30

2.15

2.97

6.08

5.04

SoCal Citygate NG-SCL-CGT-SNL

2.41

2.51

3.59

3.60

5.71

Waha Hub NG-WAH-WTX-SNL

-1.95

-1.33

1.75

1.15

2.88

AECO NG-ASH-ALB-SNL

1.30

1.39

0.64

1.13

2.13

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) U.S. Power Next-Day Prices ($ per megawatt-hour)

Hub

Current Day

Prior Day

This Month Last Year

Prior Year Average 2025

Five-Year Average (2021-2025)

New England E-NEPLMHP-IDX

44.24

44.00

60.18

77.61

61.79

PJM West E-PJWHRTP-IX

35.24

36.82

70.06

60.23

54.47

Mid-Columbia (Mid C) W-MIDCP-IDX

22.11

13.49

42.59

44.81

68.96

Palo Verde W-PVP-IDX

24.75

26.23

38.53

34.82

59.94

South Path-15 (SP-15) W-SP15-IDX

7.93

11.15

22.51

28.44

53.02