据世界石油8月16日消息，美国国务院国际信息局《美国参考》从华盛顿报道，OPIS PointLogic 能源公司的数据显示，尽管天然气现货价格相对较低，但美国8月天然气产量继续增长，并于2019年8月5日创下921亿立方英尺的日产量新纪录。2019年5月至8月，天然气日产量增长了15 亿立方英尺(2.5%)，主要是由于东北部地区的产量增长。东北地区仍然是美国最大的天然气产区，占美国天然气总产量的34%。8月第一周，该地区日均原油产量达到322亿桶/天的新高，比5月的月平均水平高出15亿桶/天。

自早春以来，天然气现货价格一直呈下降趋势。亨利港现货天然气价格处于多年以来的低点。8月5日周一，亨利港天然气现货收盘价格从3月15日的2.95美元/百万英热单位跌至2.02美元/百万英热单位，为2016年5月30日以来的最低水平。

创纪录的天然气产量增长继续对价格构成下行压力。今年夏天，尽管天然气出口水平较高，发电行业的消费也有所增加，但天然气价格仍在继续下跌。随着天然气产量的增长继续抵消了消费量的增长，6月份天然气价格平均为2.40美元 /百万英热单位，7月份为2.37美元/百万英热单位。

天然气储藏量已经吸收了相当大的产量。这一季节开始注入时，天然气库存较前五年(2014-18年)同期平均水平下降30%。截至8月9日当周，天然气库存为1110亿立方英尺，较5年平均水平2.849万亿立方英尺低4%。EIA预测，到10月底，天然气储量将达到3.7万亿立方英尺左右，略高于5年平均水平。

裘寅 编译自 世界石油

原文如下：

EIA: Natural gas production at record-high levels despite low prices

U.S. natural gas production continued to increase in August despite relatively low natural gas spot prices, setting a new daily production record of 92.1 Bcfd on August 5, 2019, according to data from OPIS PointLogic Energy. Natural gas production increased by 1.5 Bcfd (2.5%) between May and August 2019, led by production gains primarily in the Northeast. The northeastern region continues to be the largest natural gas-producing region in the country, accounting for 34% of the U.S. total. Average daily production levels in that region reached a new high of 32.2 Bcfd in the first week of August, 1.5 Bcfd higher than its monthly average in May.

Natural gas spot prices have been on a downward trend since early spring. Henry Hub spot natural gas prices are at a multi-year low. On Monday, August 5, the spot price of natural gas at the Henry Hub closed at its lowest price since May 30, 2016, at $2.02 per million British thermal units (MMBtu)—down from $2.95/MMBtu on March 15.

Record levels of natural gas production growth continue to put downward pressure on prices. This summer, prices have continued to decline despite high levels of natural gas exports and increased consumption in the electric generation sector. Prices averaged $2.40/MMBtu in June and $2.37/MMBtu in July as growth in natural gas production continued to offset growth in consumption.

Natural gas storage has been absorbing a significant amount of this production. This injection season started with working natural gas inventories 30% lower than the previous five-year (2014–18) average during the same period. By the week ending August 9, working gas inventories were at 111 Bcf, or 4%, lower than the five-year average of 2,849 Bcf. EIA forecasts that natural gas storage levels will be about 3,700 Bcf by the end of October, which is slightly higher than the five-year average.