US Natgas Prices Slide Amid Reduced LNG Flows and Storage Additions

US natural gas futures declined by 1.5 cents, or 0.5%, to $2.876 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) on Thursday as daily flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants fell to a three-week low.

The decrease in LNG feedgas was largely due to maintenance at US energy firm Sempra Energy's 2.0-bcfd Cameron LNG plant in Louisiana, which is expected to reduce output by 17.5 bcfd on Thursday.

Despite the decline, analysts forecast that energy firms added 49 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas to storage during the week ended September 11, compared to an increase of 87 bcf during the same week last year and a five-year average increase of 74 bcf.