摘要: |
While the volatile oil market constantly keeps energy economists and journalists on their toes, natural gas has quietly reached new heights in both demand and prices. For most of this year, gas has been riding a wave of increasing demand and reduced supply with U.S. wellhead prices hitting a nearly three-year high of $3.779 MMBtu in late July, months before the start of the typical winter heating season. Just as gas-fired plants return to operation from Covid-induced lockdowns and air conditioners run at full blast to cope with oppressive heat gripping much of the country, stockpiles dropped as much as 7% below the five-year average, according to federal data. |