UK GAS-Day-ahead firmer on undersupplied system

* Norwegian imports fall by 13 mcm/day

* Gas system undersupplied by 8 mcm

Dec (Shanghai: 600875.SS - news) 2 (Reuters) - British day-ahead gas prices rose on Wednesday from the previous day as lower imports from Norway and the UK continental shelf left the market undersupplied.

Gas for within-day delivery was trading at 38.75 pence per therm at 0930 GMT, steady from the last settlement, while gas for Thursday up by 0.25 pence to 38.50 pence/therm.

With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) supply flows at about 235 million cubic metres (mcm) and demand expected to be about 243 mcm, Britain's gas system was 8 mcm undersupplied, National Grid (LSE: NG.L - news) data showed.

"Balance outlook looks tighter this morning compared to what we anticipated yesterday. This is due to reduction in deliveries from the UK continental shelf (UKCS) and flows from Norway," Marina Tsygankova, an analyst at Thomson Reuters Point Carbon, said.

Imports from Norway were down by 13 mcm/day on Wednesday morning due to lower deliveries via the Langeled pipeline, Britain's main sub-sea gas import route.

The Langeled flows were expected to fluctuate around 55-60 mcm/d this and next week, but uptick was possible later in December, Tsygankova added.

Deliveries from the UKCS were down to around 135 mcm/day on Wednesday morning from around 140 mcm/day seem on Tuesday morning.

Temperatures in Britain were seen falling to a maximum of 13 degrees Celsius in the south of the country on Thursday from around 14 degrees on Wednesday, supporting the demand.

Gas prices further along the curve edged higher, with the front-quarter contract up 0.25 pence at 39.30 pence per therm.

In the Netherlands, the day-ahead gas price at the TTF hub firmed by 0.05 euros up to 18 euros per megawatt hour (MWh).

In Europe's carbon market the front-year EU Allowance (EUA) price dipped 0.03 euros to 8.53 euros per tonne. (Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis, editing by William Hardy)