Storage operators pulled a net 58 Bcf from natural gas inventories in the Lower 48 during the week to Dec. 27, 2019, compared to a five-year-average draw of 89 Bcf, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported.
The pull brought total working gas supply to 3,192 Bcf, or 484 Bcf above the year-ago level and 38 Bcf below the five-year average.
By region:
* In the East, stockpiles slid 25 Bcf on the week at 771 Bcf, 16% more than a year earlier.
* In the Midwest, storage levels were down 18 Bcf at 905 Bcf, 13% higher than a year ago.
* In the Mountain region, stockpiles slid 4 Bcf at 173 Bcf, 18% higher than a year earlier.
* In the Pacific region, storage levels declined 9 Bcf at 251 Bcf, 14% more than the year before.
* In the South Central region, stockpiles declined 1 Bcf at 1,093 Bcf, 25% more than a year earlier. Of that total, 313 Bcf of gas was in salt cavern facilities and 780 Bcf was in non-salt-cavern facilities. Working gas stocks rose 1% in salt cavern facilities from the week before and were down 0.8% in non-salt-cavern facilities.