U.S. Gas Inventories at 3,644 Billion Cubic Feet Ahead of New Week’s Increase
Key Facts
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated working gas in underground storage at 3,644 billion cubic feet on October 16, 2026, after a weekly increase of 77 billion cubic feet. This is the latest documented level in the available report and does not confirm the 80 billion cubic-foot increase in the draft for the week ended October 23. The reported increase in the previous week came as the United States approached the start of the heating season on November 1. Official comparisons put that week’s inventory above the five-year average, but it remained below the level for the same period last year. The inventory level and its historical comparison therefore remain the basis for assessing storage conditions ahead of the season, without describing the increase alone as evidence of ample supply.
Inventory on October 16 was 152 billion cubic feet below its year-earlier level, while standing 35 billion above the five-year average of 3,609 billion cubic feet for 2021–2025. That means the balance combined an annual deficit with a surplus over the historical average, two different comparisons that should not be collapsed into a single description. In the South Central region, inventory stood at 1,125 billion cubic feet on the same date. That level was 3.4% below the region’s five-year average and 10.0% below its year-earlier level. Regional data show that the gap from the overall average does not eliminate differences among basins, while the available figures do not provide a weekly breakdown by region for the October 23 report.
The Energy Information Administration’s forecast published on October 6 put inventory at 3,850 billion cubic feet at the end of October, 2% above the five-year average as the heating season begins on November 1. In another forecast published in September, the agency estimated working inventory at 3,969 billion cubic feet on October 31, 5% above the 2021–2025 average and 1% above the October 2025 level. The September forecast linked part of that level to production growth in previous months. In August, the agency had said it expected inventory of 3,985 billion cubic feet in October, the highest level before the heating season since 2016. It attributed that forecast to higher production and reduced gas flows to liquefied natural gas facilities because of maintenance, and said the additional inventory provided a cushion against increased heating-related consumption.
The Energy Information Administration said inventories could continue to rise through mid-November, depending on market and weather conditions, although the end of October is typically considered the end of the injection season. That makes the month-end estimate a point to watch ahead of the start of the heating season, with injection potentially continuing beyond the usual date depending on conditions. The end-October forecasts published in September and October remain different in level, at 3,969 billion cubic feet and 3,850 billion cubic feet, respectively. The increase attributed to the week ended October 23 and total inventory on that date are not confirmed by the report available here; therefore, no new weekly comparison or price reaction can be inferred from the cited facts.