The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a weekly injection of 77 billion cubic feet (Bcf) into Lower 48 natural gas storage inventories for the week ending October 16, 2026 (Link). Total inventories now stand at 3,644 Bcf, 152 Bcf (4.0%) below year-ago levels and 35 Bcf (1.0%) above the 2021-2025 average for the same week.
The EIA announced a 77-Bcf build this morning, marking the tenth consecutive week in which the injection fell shy of the five-year average. Over that stretch, the surplus has narrowed from 198 Bcf to just 35 Bcf, its slimmest level since March 20. The build also fell shy of the same week in 2025, when inventories increased by 86 Bcf. Stocks are now 152 Bcf behind year-ago levels, marking the widest deficit since July 2025.
