Source: Shanghai Futures Exchange China is taking a decisive step toward reshaping global LNG pricing with plans to introduce LNG futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE). For the world’s largest LNG importer, this is about far more than financial innovation—it’s about control, transparency, and strategic leverage. Who benefits most? Chinese domestic LNG importers gain a powerful new hedging tool tied to local demand fundamentals. A yuan-denominated LNG contract reduce

Source: www.pivotalweather.com Winter Storm Fern is barreling into the South, threatening millions with a dangerous mix of ice, snow, and high winds. Power outages and travel disruptions are likely—but for energy markets, the bigger story may be the volatility ahead. Natural gas is entering a high-risk week with multiple catalysts converging at once. Options expire Tuesday, futures expire Wednesday, and the EIA storage report on Thursday is widely expected to post a new all-t

Source: Golden Pass Pipeline Golden Pass LNG was expected to begin loading its first cargoes from Train 1 as early as February 2026. Instead, the project appears to be moving through commissioning more slowly than many market participants had penciled in, pushing meaningful volumes further out on the calendar. That timing matters. U.S. dry natural gas production has climbed to roughly 113 Bcf/d, as producers positioned supply in anticipation of new LNG demand—Golden Pass bein

Source: GROK Force Majeure usually points to hurricanes or mechanical failures. But along the U.S. Gulf Coast, a quieter risk is emerging—“Fog Majeure.” This term captures a growing operational reality: LNG terminals can be physically unable to move cargo when dense sea fog shuts down tanker traffic, even when demand is strong and contracts are firm. Why it happens Gulf of Mexico sea fog is most prevalent in winter. It forms when warm, moist air flows over cooler shelf waters

Source: Samsung Heavy Industries Europe is starting 2026 with a growing energy vulnerability. Natural gas storage levels across the EU have slipped below 60%, with Gazprom data showing inventories at just 58.1% as of January 6. Germany—the region’s largest gas consumer—is in an even tighter position at 54.1%, well below last year’s levels. The drawdown has been swift. EU storage is 10.7 bcm lower than January 2025, driven by a powerful Arctic outbreak now gripping the contine

Source: www.cmegroup.com In fast-moving energy markets, some of the most consequential trades never hit the screen in real time. Natural Gas block trades are one such mechanism—quiet, efficient, and critical for managing scale. A block trade is a privately negotiated futures or options transaction executed away from the public order book, then submitted to an exchange like CME Group for clearing. For Henry Hub Natural Gas futures (NG), the minimum threshold is typically 50 co

Source: EIA Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report The weekly EIA Natural Gas Storage Report is one of the most market-moving data releases in U.S. energy. For traders, it is not just about how many BCF were injected or withdrawn—it’s about flexibility, location, and future risk. The U.S. relies on three types of natural gas storage, each with different implications for price volatility: Salt Dome Storage Primarily located along the Gulf Coast, salt caverns offer extremely high de

Source: www.tradingview.com Last year’s April–October natural gas strip quietly set the stage. Priced near ~$3.600/MMBtu at the start of the year, it looked benign—until winter arrived. As cold weather emerged in January 2025, the strip first rallied to $3.994, pulled back to $3.390, and then ultimately surged to $5.120/MMBtu. Markets don’t repeat, but they do rhyme. The question now: is the April–October 2026 strip winding up for another outsized move to the upside? The answ

Source: Beacon Hotel (NYC in snow) NERC’s 2025 Winter Reliability Assessment delivers a clear warning: peak winter electricity demand could spike ~25%, driven by electrification, data centers, and more extreme cold snaps. While the grid is largely prepared for average winter conditions, it is increasingly exposed to high-impact, low-probability weather events. Looking ahead, volatility may rise further. Climate models suggest La Niña fades in 2026, shifting to ENSO-neutral, t

Source: Google Maps (Lake Charles LNG facility) Energy Transfer’s decision to step back from the Lake Charles LNG export project is telling. ET had lined up two large off-takers, yet sought equity partners to absorb roughly 80% of the project risk. When that structure failed to clear, management chose to pivot—redirecting capital toward U.S. data center growth and other domestic demand opportunities rather than doubling down on LNG exports. This raises a timely question: is t

Source: Tradingview.com (ERCOT North Spark Spread) In energy markets, spreads such as spark and dark (and their “clean” variants) reveal the economic incentives for power-plant dispatch. They also act as support or resistance levels for underlying fuels — especially natural gas. Spark Spread The spark spread measures the theoretical margin for a gas-fired generator. Formula: Spark Spread = Electricity Price − (Natural Gas Price × Heat Rate) Dark Spread The dark spread applie

Source: www.pivotalweather.com Pipeline systems depend on balance—too much gas in or too much taken out can threaten pressure, integrity, and firm service. That’s why operators issue Operational Flow Orders (OFOs), a critical tool to stabilize system conditions during stress. Why OFOs Are Called   OFOs typically arise when linepack is tight, weather spikes demand, storage swings are limited, or shippers’ receipts and deliveries drift out of balance. When these conditions thr

Source: IEA After years as the driver of global LNG growth, China has eased off the throttle in 2025. Imports have slipped as domestic gas production rises, pipeline flows from Russia expand, industrial demand softens, and rapid renewable additions cut into gas-fired power. Cargoes once destined for China are increasingly redirected to Europe, Japan, South Korea, and emerging Asia. The Positives • Price relief:  A major supply wave from the U.S., Qatar, and others arriving 20

Source: Elk Trading Company LLC Natural gas producers operate in a landscape shaped by weather volatility, LNG-driven baseload demand, and shifting production growth. In this environment, hedging isn’t a luxury—it’s fundamental risk management. While structures evolve with market conditions, three tools dominate E&P portfolios: swaps, costless collars, and three-way collars. Each carries a different balance of protection, opportunity, and complexity. Swaps The most widely use

Source: TradingView.com Natural gas equities are surging as colder December forecasts drive renewed bullish sentiment across the market. Leading producers like EQT, Comstock (CRK), Antero (AR), and CNX  have all rallied in recent sessions, boosted by expectations of stronger heating demand and record-setting LNG export volumes . While updated models now project higher Heating Degree Days (HDDs) for December, they still trail last year’s levels. Yet, the market’s reaction sugg

Source: Elk Trading Company LLC The natural gas market is heading into a new era of volatility. As U.S. LNG exports and data centers surge, the share of baseload  (24/7/365) demand continues to grow — permanently altering the balance of flexibility that has historically smoothed seasonal swings. This shift means the remaining variable components of demand—industrial, residential, and power generation—will become more reactive to even minor shifts in weather, pipeline constrai

Source: https://www.nisgaanation.ca/ North America’s LNG export capacity is set to more than double by 2029, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). This transformative buildout could reshape global gas flows and carries major implications for Canada’s energy strategy. But will it be a boon—or a challenge—for Canada? Opportunities for Canada  The planned expansion, including West Coast and U.S. Gulf terminals, offers improved market access for western C

Source: Helion Energy Exceptional materials degradation caused by large quantities of fusion neutrons is one of the single largest factors limiting the economics and safety of fusion energy. Despite massive R&D momentum, including the Department of Energy’s roadmap targeting deployment in the 2030s, fusion remains a distant prospect rather than a near-term solution. The challenge lies not just in achieving sustained fusion reactions, but in withstanding them. The bombardment

Source: EIA Electricity prices are surging across the U.S., thrusting energy affordability into the political spotlight. From Virginia to New Jersey, escalating costs are fueling debate as utilities grapple with soaring demand from AI-driven data centers and rapid electrification. In the PJM region — spanning Illinois to New Jersey — wholesale power costs have climbed more than 30% year-over-year , according to Reuters and EIA data. Much of this increase stems from the surge

Source: https://www.datacentermap.com/usa/ The U.S. natural gas grid is being reshaped by two powerful new demand drivers: AI data...