“Risks peaked in February, when large-scale Russian missile attacks on gas production facilities led to the sudden loss of nearly half of the state’s output. These events created a perfect storm that could have caused a nationwide gas blackout at any moment”, according to a company report Monday that said 34 of Naftogaz’s gas production sites had been attacked in 2024-25. Rigzone tried to verify the scale of the reported attacks via comment requests to the Russian government, sent via official online portals, but has not received a reply.
U.S. natural gas prices fell by 6% on Friday morning amid the overall panic market selling, but the benchmark Henry Hub price was declining less than the WTI Crude prices, which sank by more than 8% to hit a low of $61 per barrel.
The benchmark price for U.S. natural gas delivered at Henry Hub was plunging by 6.26% to $3.877 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) as of 10:35 a.m. EDT. At the same time, the WTI Crude futures were tumbling by as much as 8.59% to $61.14.
Gas Prices Heat Up as Europe Rushes to Refill Storage
Spot market gas prices around the world have doubled over the last twelve months as reported inventories in all the major consuming regions have fallen to multi-year lows, signalling the refill season will be much tougher in 2025.
Gas prices in Europe, Asia, and North America have made solid gains this year. Reuters’ Gavin Maguire reported this week those fall in the range between 30% and 50%–and that’s not the end of the rally. Winter is just beginning, and the weather in Europe and Asia, as well as most of North America, is about to get a lot colder.
Dropping temperatures in the United States and Europe have prompted a rally in U.S. natural gas prices. Although somewhat hesitant, this rally could help avoid a shortage in the not-too-distant future.
Natural gas futures jumped by 8% Monday morning as weather models suggested cooler temperatures in the U.S.
Europe’s benchmark gas prices extended losses early on Wednesday, falling by 3% in early trading in Amsterdam for a 25% decline so far this month, as inventories are high and milder weather is expected to return.