Pipelines get spotlight as natural gas prices rise

Lawmakers and the Obama administration are turning their focus to energy infrastructure constraints in the wake of a cold snap that has caused natural gas futures prices to rise to levels last seen in 2008.

Natural gas futures closed at $6.149 per thousand cubic feet last week, up from $3.279 at the same time the previous year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The spike has been most acute in the Northeast, where more natural gas Pipelines are needed to meet demand — though it’s not clear whether those increases reflect the abnormal winter conditions or a trend.