US natural gas futures rise as demand outlook strengthens

Above-normal temperatures expected to boost gas demand through late June

US gas output declines, reducing inventory surplus to about 5% above normal

LNG export flows dip due to plant maintenance, including at Golden Pass and Freeport facilities

By Scott DiSavino

- U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 3% on Wednesday on forecasts for hotter-than-normal weather and more demand over the next two weeks than previously expected.

Front-month gas futures for July delivery NGc1 on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 8.1 cents, or 2.6%, to $3.221 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). On Tuesday, the contract closed at its lowest level since May 27 for a second day in a row.

Financial group LSEG said average gas output in the U.S. Lower 48 states has fallen to 108.8 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in June, down from 109.7 bcfd in May and a monthly record high of 110.6 bcfd in December 2025. The average so far for June is lower than the figure on Monday.

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

But they noted recent output declines likely reduced the surplus of gas in inventory to around 5% above normal during the week ended June 5, down from about 6% above normal in the previous week. EIA/GAS NGAS/POLL

Meteorologists forecast the weather will remain mostly warmer than normal through June 24, which should boost the amount of gas that power generators burn to keep air conditioners humming. About 40% of U.S. power generation comes from gas-fired plants.

LSEG projected average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would rise from 103.2 bcfd this week to 104.0 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were higher than LSEG's outlook on Tuesday.

Average gas flows to the nine big U.S. LNG export plants have fallen from 17.1 bcfd in May to 16.5 bcfd so far in June due to ongoing spring maintenance at several plants, including ExxonMobil XOM.N/QatarEnergy's Golden Pass facility and Freeport LNG's plant in Texas.

Those flows compare with a monthly LNG feedgas record high of 18.8 bcfd in April.

Week ended Jun 5 Actual

Week ended May 29 Actual

Year ago Jun 5

Five-year average (2021-2025) Jun 5

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

+94

+95

+110

+95

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

2,672

2,578

2,691

2,535

U.S. total storage versus 5-year average

+5.4%

+5.7%

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

3.22

3.14

3.64

3.62

3.79

Title Transfer Facility (TTF) TRNLTTFMc1

16.67

16.40

12.38

11.94

18.51

Japan-Korea Marker (JKM) JKMc1

18.89

18.90

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

8

20

20

14

U.S. GFS Cooling Degree Days (CDD)

189

193

138

138

150

U.S. GFS Total Degree Days (TDD)

195

201

158

158

164

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

109.6

108.8

109.2

106.1

100.6

U.S. Imports from Canada

6.7

6.8

6.4

N/A

7.7

U.S. LNG Imports

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Total U.S. Supply

116.3

115.6

115.6

N/A

108.3

U.S. Demand (bcfd)

U.S. Exports to Canada

2.0

2.1

2.1

N/A

2.3

U.S. Exports to Mexico

7.1

7.2

7.3

N/A

6.7

U.S. LNG Export Feedgas

16.6

16.7

17.6

14.1

12.0

U.S. Commercial

4.7

4.5

4.3

4.5

5.0

U.S. Residential

4.2

3.7

3.5

3.8

4.2

U.S. Power Plant

34.5

39.7

39.9

37.7

39.1

U.S. Industrial

21.7

21.6

21.7

22.2

21.8

U.S. Plant Fuel

5.4

5.4

5.4

5.4

5.2

U.S. Pipe Distribution

1.9

2.1

2.0

1.9

3.0

U.S. Vehicle Fuel

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.2

Total U.S. Consumption

72.6

77.1

77.0

75.6

78.5

Total U.S. Demand

98.3

103.2

104.0

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

86

88

76

74

83

Jan-Jul

90

92

78

76

77

Oct-Sep

95

97

80

77

76

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

Week ended Jun 12

Week ended June 5

2025

2024

2023

Wind

12

11

11

11

10

Solar

8

11

6

5

4

Hydro

6

7

6

6

6

Other

1

1

1

1

2

Petroleum

0

0

0

0

0

Natural Gas

39

38

40

42

41

Coal

15

14

18

16

17

Nuclear

19

18

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

3.18

3.10

3.12

3.52

3.72

Transco Z6 New York NG-CG-NY-SNL

2.53

2.24

2.34

3.53

3.56

PG&E Citygate NG-CG-PGE-SNL

1.77

1.65

3.12

3.42

5.47

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

2.34

2.14

2.17

2.79

2.96

Chicago Citygate NG-CG-CH-SNL

2.77

2.69

2.76

3.23

3.60

Algonquin Citygate NG-CG-BS-SNL

2.68

2.48

2.97

6.08

5.04

SoCal Citygate NG-SCL-CGT-SNL

2.73

2.68

3.59

3.60

5.71

Waha Hub NG-WAH-WTX-SNL

-0.92

-0.22

1.75

1.15

2.88

AECO NG-ASH-ALB-SNL

1.25

1.24

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

61.09

53.48

60.18

77.61

61.79

PJM West E-PJWHRTP-IX

110.00

65.57

70.06

60.23

54.47

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

3.78

-0.40

42.59

44.81

68.96

Palo Verde W-PVP-IDX

24.63

20.98

38.53

34.82

59.94

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

12.22

3.75

22.51

28.44

53.02