Storage operators deposited a net 102 Bcf into natural gas inventories in the Lower 48 in the week ended Sept. 20, above the five-year average injection of 74 Bcf, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported.
The injection topped the 93-Bcf build forecast by an S&P Global Platts analyst survey and brought total working gas supply in the Lower 48 to 3,205 Bcf, or 444 Bcf above the year-ago level and 47 Bcf below the five-year average.
By region:
* In the East, inventories grew 31 Bcf on the week at 794 Bcf, 9% higher than a year earlier.
* In the Midwest, inventories were up 36 Bcf at 934 Bcf, 17% higher than a year earlier.
* In the Mountain region, stockpiles grew 6 Bcf at 194 Bcf, 12% above a year ago.
* In the Pacific region, inventories were up 7 Bcf at 286 Bcf, 11% higher than a year ago.
* In the South Central region, storage levels were up 24 Bcf at 998 Bcf, 23% above a year earlier.
Of that total, 207 Bcf of gas was in salt cavern facilities and 790 Bcf was non-salt-cavern. Working gas stocks were up 4% in salt cavern facilities from the previous week and rose 2.1% in non-salt-cavern facilities.
S&P Global Platts and S&P Global Market Intelligence are owned by S&P Global Inc.
