Tight plant margins, unseasonable weather and volatile gas flows are all doing their bit to help firm prices.
Last week saw firmer prices due to system tightness and volatile flows through the UK-Norway Langeled pipeline. This pattern is set to continue in the coming week helped by the colder weather.
We have seen that Langeled is flexing quite considerably in response to price signals. When prices drop below 15p/therm, it is turned off and when the price is driven above 22p/therm, the valve is opened and significantly more gas flows. As we have seen demonstrated this past week, the summer is proving to be a much more capable squeeze option than the winter, with summer plant outages and volatile demand.
In the US, the peak season is Summer and as global warming threatens there is likely to be a flattening between Summer and Winter.
14 May 2007
Market continues to jostle for position with no new fundamental information. read more...
03 February 2006
Europe has been much colder than the UK and this has meant European gas and power prices are setting new highs, this only shows that the system works, but it does make the market more jittery to foreign fundamentals. read more...
04 March 2005
Cold snap could be the last price spike of Winter 04 read more...
25 January 2005
Winter 05 continues its bull run, hitting a two month high of £37.10. read more...
Shale Gas - Latest UK estimates suggest enough for next 11 years
Cuadrilla Resources, the company at the forefront of Britain's Shale gas exploration released its first estimates of the amount of shale gas contained in the rocks of Lancashire. At 200 trillion cubic feet, the estimates are significant to say the least. read more...
22 September 2011
Cuadrilla Resources, the company at the forefront of Britain's Shale gas exploration released its first estimates of the amount of shale gas contained in the rocks of Lancashire. At 200 trillion cubic feet, the estimates are significant to say the least. read more...
Energy Forward Prices continue to gain ground
Despite market participants describing the market as stagnant and directionless, energy forward prices continue to gain ground. Winter 11 power closed the week up at £59.65/MWh while NBP Winter 11 gas finished at 72.20p/therm. read more...
10 June 2011
Despite market participants describing the market as stagnant and directionless, energy forward prices continue to gain ground. Winter 11 power closed the week up at £59.65/MWh while NBP Winter 11 gas finished at 72.20p/therm. read more...
Downward Trend Still in Play
Most contracts in the UK energy markets continued to lose ground this week enforcing the downward trend that has been in play since the start of the month. The Winter 11 contracts closed the week at £57.60MW/h and 68.85p/therm. read more...
13 May 2011
Most contracts in the UK energy markets continued to lose ground this week enforcing the downward trend that has been in play since the start of the month. The Winter 11 contracts closed the week at £57.60MW/h and 68.85p/therm. read more...
Winter 11 - A Slippery Slope
While March was a month of shocks and gains, April seems to have marked the start of a downward trend in the UK power market. The WInter 11 contract is just one example. read more...
06 May 2011
While March was a month of shocks and gains, April seems to have marked the start of a downward trend in the UK power market. The WInter 11 contract is just one example. read more...
The Market in April 2011
In comparison to the activity seen in March – the energy markets seemed relatively sedate shedding some of the value along the way. read more...
28 April 2011
In comparison to the activity seen in March – the energy markets seemed relatively sedate shedding some of the value along the way. read more...
Monthly Review - Jan 2012
Weather, oil sanctions and European debt concerns were the pushers and pullers this month as energy markets responded to competing indicators. Volatility was the only constant. read more...
01 February 2012
Weather, oil sanctions and European debt concerns were the pushers and pullers this month as energy markets responded to competing indicators. Volatility was the only constant. read more...
Weather Forecasts and Iranian Threats
Forecast and outturn cold weather drove gas and coal prices this week which in turn had an impact on the power curve. Iran threatened to cut off crude supplies ahead of the EU's proposed July sanctions; a move that would impact EU nations as they seek to find alternative sources ahead of the import ban. read more...
27 January 2012
Forecast and outturn cold weather drove gas and coal prices this week which in turn had an impact on the power curve. Iran threatened to cut off crude supplies ahead of the EU's proposed July sanctions; a move that would impact EU nations as they seek to find alternative sources ahead of the import ban. read more...
Warm weather weighs heavy on prices
Unseasonably warm weather and European debt crisis fears continued to influence the markets at the start of 2012. While oil did open the year up on the back of strong economic data from both the US and China, it retraced its steps on surprise US stockpile data combined with the Euro debt fears. read more...
06 January 2012
Unseasonably warm weather and European debt crisis fears continued to influence the markets at the start of 2012. While oil did open the year up on the back of strong economic data from both the US and China, it retraced its steps on surprise US stockpile data combined with the Euro debt fears. read more...
The Market in April 2011
In comparison to the activity seen in March – the energy markets seemed relatively sedate shedding some of the value along the way. read more...
28 April 2011
In comparison to the activity seen in March – the energy markets seemed relatively sedate shedding some of the value along the way. read more...
Confidence Returns to Market
Despite a continuation of cold conditions, confidence was seen returning to the market with a stabilisation of spot prices and comfortable system margins. There was some focus on the curve with seasonal contracts all reporting some gain on the previous weeks levels apart form Summer 13. read more...
20 December 2010
Despite a continuation of cold conditions, confidence was seen returning to the market with a stabilisation of spot prices and comfortable system margins. There was some focus on the curve with seasonal contracts all reporting some gain on the previous weeks levels apart form Summer 13. read more...
Imera secures new inter connector
Imera an Irish consortium has secured a good growth opportunity for 2011. read more...
07 December 2008
Imera an Irish consortium has secured a good growth opportunity for 2011. read more...
Feeling the Squeeze
Centrica will not repeat last year’s exceptional level of profitability their Chief Executive warned yesterday. But with rising energy prices it’s interesting to understand how they’re not cashing in. read more...
13 May 2008
Centrica will not repeat last year’s exceptional level of profitability their Chief Executive warned yesterday. But with rising energy prices it’s interesting to understand how they’re not cashing in. read more...
Currency fluctuations causing pain on UK gas imports
Currency moves affecting most of the commodity trading seen on European gas. Coal and oil fluctuations are often led by a change in currency. read more...
23 April 2008
Currency moves affecting most of the commodity trading seen on European gas. Coal and oil fluctuations are often led by a change in currency. read more...
Short-term worries, sorted.
Gas supply increases at the same time that two nuclear units return. Prompt price may well return below £30 and the sell off could be short and quick. Oil pries continue to worry. read more...
16 October 2007
Gas supply increases at the same time that two nuclear units return. Prompt price may well return below £30 and the sell off could be short and quick. Oil pries continue to worry. read more...
NGC raise supply forecast for Winter 07
NGC wakes up to the possibility that Langeled might flow. read more...
26 September 2007
NGC wakes up to the possibility that Langeled might flow. read more...
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