Natural Gas Storage Report

Every week EIA reports how much natural gas went into or out of US underground storage. This page shows when this week's report lands, what a normal week looks like at this point of the season, the last print and where stocks stand, updated before every release.

What moves the weekly storage number

Heating demand. From November to March, weather is the largest single driver. A week much colder than normal across the populous East and Midwest pulls far more gas out of storage than the calendar alone would suggest, and a mild week can cut a withdrawal in half.

Power burn. Gas-fired plants are the largest source of US electricity. When wind and solar output drops, or summer heat lifts air-conditioning load, power plants burn more gas and less reaches storage.

Supply and exports. Dry gas production and LNG export demand set the background balance. They move more slowly than the weather, but they shift what a normal week looks like from one year to the next.

The season. Injections build stocks from April to October and withdrawals draw them down from November to March. The 5-year average captures the season; the news is how far a week departs from it.

How to read the report

Traders compare the print with what was expected and with the 5-year average. A withdrawal much larger than normal points to a tighter market; a smaller one to a looser market. Read it next to natural gas positioning to see whether funds are leaning the same way, and the Gas Radar for storage against its seasonal range.

Natural gas storage report FAQ

When is the EIA natural gas storage report released?

EIA publishes the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Federal holidays move it, usually to Wednesday at noon or to Friday at 10:30 a.m. The date and time above always show the next scheduled release, holiday shifts included.

Which week does the report cover?

Each report covers the storage week that ended the previous Friday, so Thursday's number describes gas that went into or out of underground storage between Saturday and Friday of the week before.

What does a negative storage number mean?

A negative number is a net withdrawal: more gas left storage than went in, which is normal from November to March when heating demand is high. A positive number is a net injection, normal from April to October.

What is the 5-year average and why compare against it?

The 5-year average is the mean change for the same week of the previous five years. It shows what a normal week looks like at this point of the season, so a print far from it stands out.

Why does the storage report move natural gas prices?

Storage is the balance of the whole US gas market in one number. When the print differs from what traders expected, the market reprices how tight or loose supply is.

Does COTInsight forecast the storage number?

No. Analyst surveys published by major news services already estimate the weekly number. COTInsight gives the context around it: where storage sits against its range, the weather outlook, Europe, and how funds are positioned going into the report.

What does the Ultimate brief add?

US storage against its 5-year range and recent trend, NOAA's degree-day outlook for the coming week weighted to gas-heated homes, EU storage against its norm, and where funds stand in US and European gas.