Lower-48 working gas in storage stands at 3,153 Bcf (EIA week ending 2026-08-07), up 36 Bcf on the week and above the ~2,971 Bcf 5-year norm for this week. Storage versus the 5-year average is the most-watched fundamental in the US gas market — here's how to read it.
The live storage number and 5-year seasonal band chart are on EIA fundamentals; the price outlook is on the gas forecast page, and the live Henry Hub quote on natural gas.
Lower-48 working gas in underground storage is 3,153 Bcf as of the EIA week ending 2026-08-07 (up 36 Bcf on the week). That is roughly above the 5-year average of about 2,971 Bcf for this point in the year.
Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. It reports net injections (spring–fall) or withdrawals (winter) for the prior week. Like the oil report, the market trades the surprise versus analyst expectations — a smaller-than-expected injection is bullish.
Gas demand is brutally seasonal but production is steady, so storage is the shock absorber: filled April–October, drained November–March. If storage looks inadequate heading into winter, prices rise until demand is rationed or more supply arrives — storage-vs-5-year-average is the single best fundamental gauge of tightness.
The gas that can actually be withdrawn — total storage minus "base gas" that must stay in the field to maintain pressure. US working-gas capacity is roughly 4,700 Bcf; peak pre-winter fills usually reach 3,500–4,000 Bcf.