美国天然气期货因存储增加而跌至六周低点

据管道&天然气杂志网9月17日路透社报道，美国天然气期货周四下跌近10％，至六周低点，因为上周储量超过预期，使库存有望在10月底前达到创纪录高位。

据美国能源信息署(EIA)表示，截至9月11日的一周内当周，公用事业公司向储存处注入了890亿立方英尺的天然气。

这一数字高于路透调查中分析师预测的790亿立方英尺，也高于去年同期的820亿立方英尺和五年(2015-19年)平均770亿立方英尺的增长。

甚至在EIA公布报告之前，油价就已承压，因飓风萨莉(Sally)导致的停产油井重新投产，且预测未来两周天气将转温和，需求将下降，预计产量将从两年低点回升。

即近月天然气期货下跌22.5美分，收于2.042美元/百万英热单位，跌幅9.9%，为7月31日以来的最低水平。这是该合约自2019年1月以来的最大单日百分比跌幅。

伊利诺伊州加利纳（Galena）的Ritterbusch & Associates总裁Jim Ritterbusch表示，今天的下跌幅度强烈地暗示了一些保证金的抛售，因为剩余的最近获得的投机性长线被迫清算。

最近几周，投机者将其长期净头寸提高至近三年来的最高水平，尽管预期创纪录的库存将使价格上涨和今冬不太可能出现天然气短缺。

根据数据提供商Refinitiv表示，美国本土48个州的天然气日产量从周三的848 亿立方英尺的两年低点，升至周四的853亿立方英尺，这是由于与萨利相关的停工。

随着天气转凉，Refinitiv预计包括出口在内的天然气日需求量将从本周的853亿立方英尺降至下周的819亿立方英尺。

郝芬 译自 管道&天然气杂志网

原文如下：

U.S. Gas Futures Fall to 6-Week Low on Big Storage Build

U.S. natural gas futures tumbled almost 10% to a six-week low on Thursday as a bigger-than-expected storage build last week kept stockpiles on track to reach record highs by the end of October.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said utilities injected 89 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas into storage in the week ended Sept. 11.

That is higher than the 79-bcf build analysts forecast in a Reuters poll and compares with an increase of 82 bcf during the same week last year and a five-year (2015-19) average build of 77 bcf.

Even before the EIA released its report, prices were already under pressure with output expected to rise from a two-year low as producers return wells shut-in for Hurricane Sally and on forecasts calling for milder weather and lower cooling demand over the next two weeks.

Front-month gas futures fell 22.5 cents, or 9.9%, to settle at $2.042 per million British thermal units, their lowest since July 31. That was the contract's biggest one-day percentage loss since January 2019.

"The magnitude of today’s decline strongly suggested some margin call selling as remaining recently acquired speculative longs were forced to liquidate," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

In recent weeks, speculators had boosted their net long positions to the highest in almost three years despite expectations record stockpiles would make price spikes and gas shortages unlikely this winter.

Data provider Refinitiv said output in the Lower 48 U.S. states was on track to rise to 85.3 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) on Thursday from a two-year low of 84.8 bcfd on Wednesday due to Sally-related shutdowns.

With cooler weather coming, Refinitiv projected demand, including exports, would fall from 85.3 bcfd this week to 81.9 bcfd next week.