Week ending
Weekly EIA storage report
US natural gas storage
Lower 48 working gas in underground storage, measured against the five-year seasonal average. Updated weekly from the EIA, with Henry Hub price context.
LOW inventory versus season
tighter physical balanceHIGH inventory versus season
looser physical balance A percentile read on physical balance.+173 Bcf
+1 Bcf vs normal
60th percentile of five-year sample
Seasonal inventory curve
US gas: current year vs history
Chart loading. A recent data table is available directly below.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Aug 2026). Published Jul 30, 2026.
How the curve is calculated
View recent weekly values
| Week ending | Inventory | Weekly price context |
|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2026 | 2,290 Bcf | 2.74 |
| May 15, 2026 | 2,391 Bcf | 2.86 |
| May 22, 2026 | 2,483 Bcf | 3.11 |
| May 29, 2026 | 2,578 Bcf | 3.16 |
| Jun 5, 2026 | 2,686 Bcf | 3.03 |
| Jun 12, 2026 | 2,759 Bcf | 3.16 |
| Jun 19, 2026 | 2,835 Bcf | 3.12 |
| Jun 26, 2026 | 2,922 Bcf | 3.20 |
| Jul 3, 2026 | 2,983 Bcf | 3.34 |
| Jul 10, 2026 | 3,024 Bcf | 3.09 |
| Jul 17, 2026 | 3,056 Bcf | 2.79 |
| Jul 24, 2026 | 3,084 Bcf | 2.86 |
About this series
Reading the Lower 48 gas balance.
US gas storage is unusually seasonal. Inventories build from roughly April through October, when production runs ahead of demand, then draw down through the winter as heating load takes over. Because that shape repeats, the level on its own says little — 3,000 Bcf is comfortable in November and alarming in March. The comparison against the same calendar week in prior years is what makes the number legible.
The weekly flow often moves before the level does. A storage total can still sit above its five-year average while the weekly injection runs persistently below normal, which means the balance is already tightening even though the headline looks loose. That is why this page reports the change against the normal change for the same week, not just the change itself.
What the curve cannot capture: a mild winter, a freeze-off shutting in wellhead production, LNG export terminals coming online or going down for maintenance, and pipeline constraints that strand gas away from where it is needed. Storage records the outcome of all of it after the fact — it does not anticipate any of it.
- Series
- EIA NG.NW2_EPG0_SWO_R48_BCF.W
- Measures
- Working gas in underground storage
- Coverage
- Lower 48 states
- Unit
- Billion cubic feet (Bcf)
- Released
- Thursday, 10:30 a.m. ET
- Price overlay
- Henry Hub weekly spot
Compare across the balance
The other curves worth reading beside this one.
A single series rarely settles a question. Gas and crude respond to different drivers, and a national total can disagree with the hub that prices the contract.
Lower 48 working gas
Weekly EIA storage, injection or draw, and Henry Hub price context.
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United States inventories and prices
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Aug 2026).
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Source: Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), AGSI.
Open AGSI sourceQuestions, answered from the method
US natural gas storage FAQ
The series, the release schedule, and what an injection or withdrawal says about the Lower 48 gas balance.
Which EIA series does the US gas curve use?
EIA API v2 series NG.NW2_EPG0_SWO_R48_BCF.W — working natural gas held in underground storage across the Lower 48 states, reported in billion cubic feet.
What does “working gas” mean?
Working gas is the portion of stored gas that can actually be withdrawn and delivered to market. It excludes base or cushion gas, which stays in the reservoir permanently to maintain the pressure needed to move the rest.
When is the weekly natural gas storage report published?
The EIA Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report is normally released Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time and covers the week ending the previous Friday. Federal holidays can shift the schedule.
What are injection season and withdrawal season?
Storage typically builds from around April through October, when production exceeds demand — the injection season. It typically draws down from around November through March, when heating demand exceeds supply. The five-year curve on this page shows that seasonal shape directly.
Why does a smaller-than-normal injection matter?
Because the level alone can lag. If storage is still above average but the weekly injection is running below the five-year norm for that week, the balance is tightening even while the headline number looks comfortable. The “flow versus normal” figure on this page isolates that.
Does this cover Alaska and Hawaii?
No. The series is Lower 48 only, which is the standard basis for US gas storage analysis and for Henry Hub-linked contracts.
Which price is shown alongside US gas storage?
Weekly Henry Hub spot price from EIA series NG.RNGWHHD.W, aligned to the same observation dates. It is displayed for visual context, not as evidence that storage caused a given price move.