Heating Commodities Author: Jennifer Loughery 082970 Back in the middle of October, the price of natural-gas had risen because a gas company was forced to shut down a pipeline due to the need for repairs. This impending shortage led to the decrease in prices for other heating commodities, as well as larger profits. The demand for energy was becoming greater and greater because it was that time of year when consumers began storing energy in their homes to prepare for the cold winter months ahead. The four commodities mentioned in this article, crude oil, heating oil, gasoline and natural gas are all substitutes for one another.