Adds latest prices

By Scott DiSavino

April 16 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures slid about 3% on Wednesday to a 10-week low on near-record output and a decline in daily flows to liquefied natural gas export plants.

In addition, analysts said forecasts for mild weather over the next two weeks should allow utilities to keep pushing lots of gas into storage through early May.

U.S. gas stockpiles are around 4% below normal levels for this time of year after cold weather in January and February forced energy firms to pull large amounts of gas out of storage, including record amounts in January. EIA/GAS NGAS/POLL

Gas futures NGc1 for May delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange slid 8.2 cents, or 2.5%, to settle at $3.247 per million British thermal units, their lowest close since January 31.

That decline also pushed the contract into oversold territory for a second time this month.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Financial firm LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 U.S. states rose to 106.3 billion cubic feet per day so far in April, up from a monthly record of 106.2 bcfd in March.

Looking ahead, however, analysts said energy firms could cut back on oil drilling in the coming weeks due to the roughly 14% drop in U.S. crude CLc1 futures so far in April.

The crude price drop was related in part to uncertainty tied to U.S. President Donald Trump's on-again off-again trade tariffs, which could reduce economic growth and oil demand. O/R

Any reduction in oil drilling in shale basins such as the Permian in Texas and New Mexico and the Bakken in North Dakota could boost gas prices by cutting gas output.

Meteorologists projected temperatures in the Lower 48 states would remain mostly warmer than normal through May 1.

With seasonally milder weather coming, LSEG forecast average gas demand in the Lower 48, including exports, will fall from 99.7 bcfd this week to 96.7 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were slightly higher than LSEG's outlook on Tuesday.

The average amount of gas flowing to the eight big LNG export plants operating in the U.S. climbed from a monthly record of 15.8 bcfd in March to 16.2 bcfd so far in April on rising flows to Venture Global's VG.N 3.2-bcfd Plaquemines export plant under construction in Louisiana.

On a daily basis, however, LNG feedgas was on track to hold at a one-week low of 16.1 bcfd on Wednesday, down from an average of 16.7 bcfd over the prior seven days, according to LSEG data.

That daily LNG feedgas decline was mostly due to lower expected flows to Cheniere Energy's LNG.N 3.9-bcfd Corpus Christi export plant in service and under construction in Texas to 1.7 bcfd on Wednesday, down from 2.2 bcfd on Tuesday and an average of 2.3 bcfd over the prior seven days. The Corpus Christi plant includes three 0.8-bcfd operating trains and seven 0.2-bcfd mid-scale trains under construction.

The U.S. became the world's biggest LNG supplier in 2023, surpassing Australia and Qatar, as surging global prices fed demand for more exports due in part to supply disruptions and sanctions linked to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Gas was trading at a one-week high of around $12 per mmBtu at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) TRNLTTFMc1 benchmark in Europe and a 10-month low of around $11 at the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) JKMc1 benchmark in Asia. NG/EU

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Richard Chang)

((scott.disavino@thomsonreuters.com; +1 332 219 1922; Reuters Messaging: scott.disavino.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

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For next-day SNL U.S. gas prices, see: 0#SNL-NG

For next-day SNL U.S. power prices, see: 0#SNL-PWR

For U.S. natgas price and storage polls, see: NGAS/POLL

For U.S. nuclear power outages, see: NUKE/

For U.S. Northwest hydro power report, see: NWRFC

For U.S./Canada natural gas rig count vs Henry Hub futures price, see: http://tmsnrt.rs/2eT9k44

For the U.S. natural gas speed guide, see: USGAS

For the U.S. power speed guide, see: USPOWER

To determine CFTC managed money net position add (NYMEX Henry Hub options and futures combined 3023651MNET) plus (ICE Henry Hub options and futures combined 3023391MNET divided by four) plus (NYMEX Henry Hub swaps options and futures combined 303565BMNET divided by four) plus (NYMEX Henry Hub penultimate gas swaps 303565CMNET divided by four)

NYMEX Henry Hub options and futures combined 0#3CFTC023651

NYMEX Henry Hub futures only 0#1CFTC023651

ICE Henry Hub options and futures combined 0#3CFTC023391

NYMEX Henry Hub swaps options and futures combined 0#3CFTC03565B

NYMEX Henry Hub Penultimate gas swaps 0#3CFTC03565C