據世界能源12月29日消息：美國天然氣期貨價格本周上漲，原因是天氣變冷，部分地區降雪。

據彭博社報道，盡管遠低于亞洲或歐洲的天然氣價格，但美國1月天然氣期貨價格今天早些時候上漲了1.7%，達到4.127美元/百萬英熱單位。一天前，該合約上漲8.8%，為去年10月以來的最大單日漲幅，也是由于天氣預報的影響。

《華爾街日報》回顧了周一價格在連續四周下跌之后的上漲。據天氣預報中心稱，冬季將給美國北部和西部地區帶來大雪、冰凍和強風。

據NatGasWeather稱，預計1月初的天氣將更加寒冷，甚至可能影響天然氣生產。預報員報告說，該國部分地區可能會在1月的第一周出現冰凍，包括落基山脈、巴肯頁巖區和中部大陸。

今年得克薩斯州凍結的假設重演也將影響天然氣產量，從而影響價格。

因此，根據Refinitiv的數據，天然氣需求預計將增至每天1267億立方英尺。這比1100億立方英尺還要高。

華爾街日報援引韓國銀行金融分析師的一份報告稱，"美國將迎來更冷的天氣，下周我們應該會看到供暖需求大幅回升。"

與此同時，根據BloombergNEF的數據，截至周一，美國本土48州的天然氣產量為979億立方英尺。較去年同期增長6.4%。

數據顯示，美國本土48州的需求為845億立方英尺，同比下降4.8%。截至周一，流入墨西哥灣液化終端的天然氣平均為124億立方英尺。

馮娟 摘譯自 世界能源

原文如下：

U.S. Natural Gas Rise As Colder Weather Rushes In

U.S. natural gas futures rose this week as colder weather with snow came into parts of the country.

Although substantially lower than Asian or European gas prices, U.S. January futures for natural gas rose by 1.7 percent earlier today, to $4.127 per million British thermal units, according to Bloomberg. A day earlier, the contract gained 8.8 percent in the steepest one-day rise since October, again because of the weather forecast.

The Wall Street Journal recalls the Monday jump in prices followed four weeks of declines. According to the Weather Prediction Center, the winter will bring heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures, and strong winds to the northern and western parts of the United States.

For early January, the forecast is for more cold weather that may even affect natural gas production, according to NatGasWeather. The forecaster reported freeze-offs were likely in the first week of January in parts of the country, including the Rockies, the Bakken shale play, and the Midcontinent.

A hypothetical repeat of this year’s Texas Freeze would also affect natural gas production and, as a result, prices.

As a result, demand for natural gas is seen rising to 126.7 billion cu ft daily, according to data from Refinitiv. That’s up from 110 billion cu ft.

“The colder weather coming to the U.S. will be watched and we should see a substantial pick up in heating demand next week,” analysts from BOK Financial said in a note cited by the Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, production of natural gas in the Lower 48 stood at 97.9 billion cu ft as of Monday, according to data from BloombergNEF. That was up by 6.4 percent from a year ago.

Demand in the Lower 48 stood at 84.5 billion cu ft, down 4.8 percent on the year, according to the data. Gas flows to liquefaction terminals on the Gulf Coast averaged 12.4 billion cu ft as of Monday.