The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a weekly injection of 30 billion cubic feet (Bcf) into Lower 48 natural gas storage inventories for the week ending August 28, 2026 (Link). Total inventories now stand at 3,214 Bcf, 50 Bcf (1.5%) below year-ago levels and 160 Bcf (5.2%) above the 2021-2025 average for the same week.
This morning’s announced 30-Bcf injection came in about as expected from the market, but it was the third consecutive weekly build to fall shy of both last year and the five-year average for the same week. As a result, the surplus to the five-year average has declined from 198 Bcf to 160 Bcf, while the deficit to 2025 widened from 12 Bcf as of July 31 to 50 Bcf. Over that stretch, storage growth has been stunted by consistent warmer-than-normal conditions across the South Central leading to outsized drawdowns from Salt storage. Mountain and Pacific stocks also posted net declines throughout August.
