Less coal-to-gas switching, pipeline debottlenecking in key regions and strong production will allow the US natural gas market to cope with historically low inventory levels, Goldman Sachs analysts said. While the market will likely fall 400 Bcf short of the traditional end-October inventory level of 3.8 Tcf, the better supplied environment due to shale plays mean “fewer inventories than normal will be needed to serve the market as production can take up the slack,” Goldman said Thursday in a note to clients. As of May 9, working gas in storage was 1.60 Tcf, 790 Bcf less than last year and 959 Bcf below the five-year average of 2.119 Tcf, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The severe winter took inventories to a 10-year low. Article continues below… Gas Daily offers the most detailed coverage of natural gas prices at interstate and intrastate pipeline and pooling points in major […]