Spot Gas Prices Jump More Than 400% Ahead of Texas Cold Blast

• Natural gas traded as high as $17 ahead of the weekend storm
• Spike shows traders’ concern about high demand, freeze-offs

Idle oil drilling rigs in the snow near Midland, Texas, in 2021.

Photographer: Matthew Busch/Bloomberg

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By Elizabeth Elkin, Ruth Liao, and Naureen S Malik

January 13, 2024 at 4:45 AM GMT+10

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Natural gas prices shot up more than 400% as a deep freeze is set to hit Texas, potentially sending demand for the heating fuel soaring.

Spot prices for the key US Henry Hub in Louisiana for the long holiday weekend period rose as high as $17 per million British thermal units Friday, trading in a range of $15-$17, according to market participants with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be named because the information is private. That compares with more than $3 for the most actively traded futures, which are for delivery next month.

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Texas has ushered in a series of power-market reforms in an attempt to avoid repeating the deadly blackout that hit in February 2021 and left millions without power for days. The episode sent energy prices soaring, and more than 200 people died amid a lack of heat during the extreme cold.

Read More: Texas Power Grid to Be Stressed as Icy Weather Envelops US

Cold weather can cause freeze-offs, a condition when equipment related to natural gas production or pipelines can malfunction, curbing supply. Rising spot gas prices can be an indicator that traders are worried about high demand and freeze-offs lowering supply. Forecasts signal that parts of the state will see a brief but severe freeze, indicating volatile trading activity will likely persist at key US gas market locations.

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