U.S. underground natural gas stocks rose by 76 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in the week ending September 27, Kallanish Energy learns from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The weekly build brought total natural gas storage volumes to 3,756 Bcf, which is 14.3%, or 471 Bcf, above the same period last year. Stocks are also 12.1% or 405 Bcf higher than the five-year average of 3,351 Bcf.

As the Covid-19 pandemic dents demand for natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) domestically and abroad, inventories are expected to end the refill season above the five-year average.

The EIA estimates that the average rate of injections into storage is 6% higher than the five-year average so far in the season, which runs from April through October.

“If the rate of injections into storage matched the five-year average of 10.3 Bcf/d for the remainder of the refill season, the total inventory would be 4,128 Bcf on October 31, which is 405 Bcf higher than the five-year average of 3,723 Bcf for that time of year,” the EIA said in the weekly report last Thursday.

Of all the underground storage facilities in the Lower 48 states, the biggest stocks are in the South Central and Midwest regions. In the week ending Sept. 27, the largest build was in Midwest storage, up by 24 Bcf and running at 87% of its capacity.

Storage in South Central (non-salt) facilities are operating at 93% of its capacity.

This post appeared first on Kallanish Energy News.