Gas prices going mental12 Aug 2024 10:30
UK natural gas futures have surged past 100 pence per therm, reaching their highest level in eight months due to significant outages in the UK Continental Shelf. Production in this area has been disrupted by multiple factors: the Bacton Seal terminal's outage has been extended until August 13, Bacton Perenco has cut its supply by 10 million cubic meters per day, and the Cygnus field is reducing output by 6 million cubic meters daily. Additionally, the St Fergus Mobil terminal will be closed from August 18 to September 24. Meanwhile, Dutch TTF gas prices have also risen due to concerns over gas supplies through Ukraine. The risk of military operations in the Sudzha region is exacerbating this issue, especially following Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, which threatens a vital gas transit point. Despite Europe’s efforts to diversify its energy sources, countries like Austria and Slovakia still rely on Russian gas transported via Ukraine.