The April bidweek US average natural gas price rose 11 cents to $1.71/MMBtu, with prices in Appalachia and along the Gulf Coast making the biggest gains, according to Inside FERC's Gas Market Report on Friday.
The April bidweek price at the benchmark Henry Hub increased 20 cents to average $1.90/MMBtu. That came as the NYMEX April gas futures contract settled at $1.903, up 19.2 cents from the March contract's close of $1.711/MMBtu.
Most Northeastern market prices moved in the opposite direction.
In New England, Algonquin Gas Transmission city-gates dropped 45 cents, or about 15%, to $2.52.
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Zone 6 New York fell 37 cents to $1.31/MMBtu for April, while Texas Eastern Transmission zone M-3 advanced 5 cents to $1.21/MMBtu.
Appalachian points saw some significant increases, with the regional average rising 23 cents to $1.31 -- about a 21% bump.
Dominion, Appalachia was 19 cents higher at $1.19/MMBtu. Columbia Gas, Appalachia was up 21 cents to $1.79/MMBtu.
In the Upper Midwest, the Chicago city-gates price increased 4 cents to $1.89/MMBtu. The Michigan Consolidated Gas city-gate advanced 22 cents, or about 13%, to $1.98/MMBtu.
Rockies Express, Zone 3 delivered moved up 19 cents to a $1.82/MMBtu average.
In Texas, Houston Ship Channel rose 17 cents to $1.87/MMBtu.
To the west, the Southern California Gas index inched up 1 cent to $1.63/MMBtu. The Pacific Gas & Electric city-gate was at $1.90/MMBtu after an 8-cent decrease.
Northwest Pipeline-Rocky Mountains was steady to average $1.51/MMBtu for April, while Northwest at the Canadian Border was up 1 cent at $1.42/MMBtu.
