---------------------- Forwarded by Scott Neal/HOU/ECT on 10/17/2000 12:13 PM 
---------------------------
   
	
	
	From:  Doug Leach                           10/17/2000 06:43 AM
	

To: Janet R Dietrich/HOU/ECT@ECT, Thomas A Martin/HOU/ECT@ECT, Scott 
Neal/HOU/ECT@ECT
cc:  
Subject: Monthly Briefing: Turning on the Heat - CERA Alert


---------------------- Forwarded by Doug Leach/HOU/ECT on 10/17/2000 06:42 AM 
---------------------------


webmaster@cera.com on 10/16/2000 10:04:33 PM
To: Doug.Leach@enron.com
cc:  
Subject: Monthly Briefing: Turning on the Heat - CERA Alert




**********************************************************************
CERA Alert: Sent Mon, October 16, 2000
**********************************************************************

Title: Monthly Briefing: Turning on the Heat
Author: N. American Gas Team
E-Mail Category: Alert
Product Line: North American Gas ,
URL: http://www.cera.com/cfm/track/eprofile.cfm?u=4487&m=1390 ,

Alternative URL: 
http://www.cera.com/client/nag/alt/101600_16/nag_alt_101600_16_ab.html
*********************************************************

The nervousness driving the gas market that had settled just below the 
surface during
the relative calm of late September and early October reemerged in force last 
week.
From mid-September through early October it appeared that a lucky combination 
of
mild weather, storage injections above 10 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day, 
and a lack
of storms in producing areas of the Gulf of Mexico had calmed the market
somewhat. Henry Hub prices settled near $5.00 in the cash market, less than 
$0.20
above residual fuel oil. Last week, however, tragedy in the Middle East and a 
slightly
lower-than-expected storage injection report were sufficient to drive November
Henry Hub prices up by more than $0.50 in two days, to above $5.60.

Mild weather may still soften prices from current levels, but CERA does not 
expect
the relative calm of late September and early October to return to the gas 
market.
Turmoil in the oil market has raised the floor for gas prices, as nearly 1.5 
Bcf per day
of potential gas demand now burning residual fuel oil would quickly return to 
the gas
market should prices decline relative to oil. Also, weather must remain mild 
through
October, or else US working storage inventories may not reach even 2.7 
trillion
cubic feet (Tcf) by the end of the month. The headroom for price is much 
greater, as
distillate oil, the next substitute for gas should gas prices rise, is itself 
in short
supply. Shutdowns of industrial facilities represent an important increment of
demand resistance as gas prices rise, and neither switching to distillate nor 
shutting
down production comes easily or cheaply.

Time is running out before the heating season begins, and the market remains
justifiably on edge: upward volatility remains much more likely than any 
significant
settling in price. As a result, CERA expects natural gas prices to be 
sustained in the
mid-$5.00s, averaging $5.50 at the Henry Hub during November (see Table 1). 
More
luck--a great deal more--would be required to restore a measure of calm to 
the gas
market.

Gas Storage--The Final Push
October storage injections have varied historically from 4.0 Bcf to 
approximately 8.5
Bcf per day in the United States, and this year CERA expects them to average 
5.5
Bcf per day, a moderate level for the month (see Table 2). The reporting of 
injections
of 62 Bcf during the week ending October 6 precipitated a $0.37 increase in 
futures
prices, but this rate is actually above average for the first full week of 
October. With
the beginning of consistent heating load late this month CERA expects a 
slowing of
injections, resulting in an end-of-October inventory of 2,707 Bcf--more than 
100
Bcf below the previous record low for the end of October.

CERA expects that many storage holders--having begun the winter with record 
low
inventories--will preserve inventories to the extent possible during November.
However, normal weather this year would drive a substantial rebound in 
heating load
from last year,s level and would require added storage withdrawals, which CERA
estimates will average 5.0 Bcf per day this year. Withdrawals at that pace, 
or even
substantially slower (as occurred during 1998 and 1999), will keep 
inventories on a
trajectory to hit record lows by the end of March. Low storage inventories 
will
remain a major source of price support, requiring that demand continue to be 
priced
out of the gas market, and keeping gas prices above those of residual fuel 
oil.
Regional Markets-Winter Rules

The transition to winter pricing relationships is under way, and the start of 
winter
heating demand in the West has narrowed differentials between the supply-rich
Rocky Mountains and the Henry Hub. Local demand for Rockies supply has also
eased pressure on San Juan Basin prices, and CERA expects differentials 
between
both regions and the Henry Hub to continue to narrow through November. In the
Northeast differentials will begin to widen with the onset of winter, with the
magnitude of the differentials depending on early winter weather. The onset 
of flows
on Alliance will limit increases in the Chicago differential during November 
(see
Table 3).

CERA,,s outlook by region follows:

* Rockies. Early-season cold has narrowed Rockies to Henry
Hub differentials so far this month. Ample supplies within the
Rockies will mean volatile pricing relationships through the
end of October and early November depending on heating load,
but in general strong regional demand will keep differentials
well below the ($1.00) per MMBtu summer level. CERA
expects a ($0.45) per MMBtu differential to the Henry Hub
during November.

* San Juan. The increase in local heating demand in the Rockies
will continue to ease pressure on San Juan prices by limiting
flows south out of the Rockies. San Juan differentials should
follow the same relationships as Rockies prices, with general
narrowing but continued volatility through November. CERA
expects an average San Juan differential of ($0.38) per MMBtu
for November.

* Permian and Mid-Continent. Tight relationships between the
Permian Basin and Mid-Continent and the Henry Hub should
continue through November, with some slight widening in the
Mid-Continent basis differential expected when Alliance flows
commence. CERA expects differentials of ($0.11) per MMBtu
and ($0.08) per MMBtu, respectively.

* Chicago. The beginning of service via the Alliance Pipeline
during November is the focus of most attention in the Chicago
citygate market. However, the demand rebound that would
result from normal November weather this year would offset
most of the added supplies. As a result, Chicago differentials
will average in the $0.08-$0.20 per MMBtu range even when
Alliance flows commence, although delay of the Vector
Pipeline will keep much of the new gas in the Midwest. CERA
expects average November Chicago differentials of $0.13 per
MMBtu.

* Northeast markets. Normal weather would drive a substantial
rebound in New York citygate prices from year-earlier levels,
but there is little added delivery capacity into that market.
CERA expects New York to price $0.66 above the Henry Hub
during November, well above the current low o mid-$0.30s.

Canadian Markets--Supply Growth Still Uncertain
The supply build is uncertain at this time because flows on Alliance are 
uncertain. A
line pack of between 5 and 6 Bcf has been established, and modest flows of 
200-300
million cubic feet (MMcf) per day have been initiated to test and commission 
the
pipeline. The start-up is still slated for November 1, but the unknown 
quantities of
gas that are flowing on a day-to-day basis are making it difficult to assess 
precisely
the volume of supply being produced. At this time, it appears that October is 
on par
with 1999. The current expectation is for over 15,500 well completions in 
2000,
approximately 8,500 of which are expected to be gas wells. Even if the 
shallow trend
does not change substantially, the sheer number of wells is still expected to 
produce
a supply build by year-end and into 2001. For 2000, the total western supply 
build is
expected to be flat with 1999 to slightly negative, increasing to positive 
growth of
350 MMcf per day in 2001.

Demand Slow but Exports Up
TransCanada flows are still down, averaging about 350 MMcf per day less in
October than the year-earlier levels. Storage injections in the East have 
accelerated;
eastern inventories are expected to be above last year,s levels at the end of 
October.
Storage injections in the West, however, have dwindled, revising the expected
storage inventories to be even with the five-year average but below 1999 
levels.
PG&E GT-NW volumes have declined in October and are expected to be slightly
below 1999 levels by 50-100 MMcf per day in November as well. Northern Border
Pipeline is running about 50 MMcf per day above October 1999 but is expected 
to be
slightly below 1999 levels in November. Cooler-than-normal weather has pushed
western Canadian demand up slightly but does not offset the lower eastern 
Canadian
demand.

High Prices, Wide Differentials
The AECO-Henry differential has leveled off in the upper US$0.50s to low
US$0.60s and is expected to remain in that range through the balance of 
October.
For November the differential is expected to average US$0.50, for a resulting 
AECO
average of C$6.97 per gigajoule (US$5.00 per MMBtu).

**end**

Follow URL for PDF version of this Monthly Briefing with associated tables.

*********************************************************
CERA's Autumn 2000 Roundtable event dates and agendas are now available at 
http://www.cera.com/event
*********************************************************



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