June 12 (Reuters) - EQT Corp. ( EQT ) CEO Toby Rice announced

that the Pittsburgh-headquartered company is now reinstating the

1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) that was previously

curtailed since late February, Natural Gas Intelligence said in

a report on Wednesday.

EQT Corp. ( EQT ), the leading producer of natural gas in North

America, reduced production earlier this year due to low prices

caused by a mild winter.

However, with forecasts for sizzling summer heat

domestically and abroad, Rice said the company has started to

bring back the 1 Bcf/d which was previously curtailed, the

agency said in its release.

In February, natural gas prices falling below $2/MMBtu

prompted producers to reduce production after U.S. output

reached record levels of around 107 billion cubic feet per day

(Bcf/d) earlier in the year.

This high production coincided with mild weather and

decreased heating demand.

In addition to EQT, Chesapeake and other producers also said

they reduced production earlier this year, according to NGI's

report.

According to the report, summer demand is expected to swell

amid forecasts for above average heat across North America,

Europe and Asia. It also said a Gulf Coast LNG boom is projected

to follow with several new facilities nearing completion.

Rice said EQT is "all in" on natural gas for decades to

come, viewing it as the most efficient way to reduce carbon

dioxide (CO2) emissions globally while meeting the world's

increasing needs for affordable, reliable energy, the report

added.