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US Natural Gas Update: Stronger LNG Feedgas Flows Boosts Futures Price

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US natural gas futures extended gains in after-hours trading on Friday as maintenance work at LNG export terminals began to wind down, allowing feedgas flows to recover toward full capacity.

The front-month Henry Hub contract and the continuous contract both rose by 1.75% to $3.141 per million British thermal units.

Feedgas demand from US LNG export terminals increased by 0.4 billion cubic feet per day from Thursday, and by 11.9% from the previous week's level to 19.1 Bcf/d on Friday, Barchart reported, citing data from BNEF. Feedgas flows had last exceeded 19 Bcf/d in late April.

LNG demand is expected to strengthen further as the Golden Pass export terminal, which shipped its first cargo two months ago, ramps up toward full production and Corpus Christi LNG Stage 3 advances toward final commissioning.

However, gains were limited as forecasters projected below-average temperatures across the Midwest through June 16, potentially reducing cooling demand.

BNEF data showed total US gas demand climbed by 5.6 Bcf/d between Thursday and Friday to 75.9 Bcf/d, up 9.1% from a year earlier.

Power-sector consumption was a key component of the total demand increase as Celsius Energy said late Friday that power burn rose by 2.3 Bcf/d from Thursday to 30.1 Bcf/d, up 5.8 Bcf/d from year-ago levels. The data platform added that natural gas accounted for 39% of total US power generation during the seven-day period ended June 9, down 2.4% from a year earlier as nuclear, wind, and solar generation increased their share.

While demand is set to increase, supplies are currently described as ample. US dry gas production reached 111.7 Bcf/d on Friday, up 0.4 Bcf/d from the previous day and 4.2% higher than a year earlier, Barchart said, citing BNEF data.

However, Baker Hughes reported on Friday that the number of active US natural gas drilling rigs fell by three in the week ended June 12 to 121, the lowest level in eight months and well below the 2.5-year high of 134 rigs recorded in February 2026.

Friday's advance partially reversed losses from the previous session after the US Energy Information Administration reported a larger-than-expected build in storage.

The EIA said natural gas inventories increased by 108 billion cubic feet in the week ended June 5, exceeding analyst expectations for a 100-Bcf injection and the five-year average build of 95 Bcf for the period. The latest build put stock levels flat to year-ago levels, but 6% above the five-year historical average.

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