WASHINGTON — While 2010 natural-gas prices will end up slightly higher than 2009 prices, 2011 prices are trending just a bit lower than this year’s prices, according to the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) short-term energy outlook. The projected Henry Hub natural-gas spot price should average $4.37 per million Btu (MMBtu) for 2010, a $0.42-per-MMBtu increase over the 2009 average. EIA expects the Henry Hub spot price to average $4.33 per MMBtu in 2011. During the winter season, the projected monthly average spot price should peak at $4.29 MMBtu in January 2011, before dropping back down close to $4 per MMBtu in June 2011. Working natural gas in storage (at the end of November) was slightly below last year’s level. At the end of the winter heating season (March 31, 2011), EIA expects natural gas in storage to be slightly higher than at the end of March 2010.

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