Factors That Impact Price

Natural gas is a commodity and its price goes up and down according to supply and demand. There are several factors that influence supply and demand, such as natural gas production and weather, and these factors ultimately set the price of gas.

National factors impacting supply are:

Production - Natural gas production has increased slightly, but has not kept pace with rising demand, so the national market price of natural gas has remained high.

Storage - Storage levels of natural gas on a national level have a dramatic impact on gas costs. Colder than normal weather, particularly early in the heating season, could cause storage levels to be drawn down at an accelerated pace this winter, further impacting prices.

National factors impacting demand are:

Weather - Weather has the strongest impact on gas prices and is also the most difficult to predict. Not only do weather conditions in the Midwest impact natural gas prices, but so does weather throughout the country, particularly the eastern U.S. where there is large potential for natural gas consumption.

Economy - A more robust economy demands more natural gas to fuel growth and increased production. Increased industrial demand for natural gas can cause a rise in prices.