Platts Analytics is estimating that natural gas output in the combined Marcellus/Utica will average 22.63 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) during August. If that bears out, it will an increase of 2% from July and the second highest monthly output EVER for the Marcellus/Utica, second only to February’s all-time high of 22.78 Bcf/d. That is astonishing! The numbers are catching analysts by surprise, who did not expect an increase in northeast gas volumes, but instead a decrease. Even the venerable U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicted August numbers for the Marcellus would go down by 26 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), but Utica would increase by 5 MMcf/d, for a total net decrease of 21 MMcf/d (see EIA July DPR: Utica Only Play with Increased NatGas Production). Not so according to Platts Analytics. Why the increase in August, of all times?…
