EIA Weekly Natural Gas Storage Analysis: September 25, 2026

Executive Summary

For the week ending September 25, 2026, total U.S. working gas in storage increased by 64 Bcf to 3,415 Bcf. Inventories remain 138 Bcf (-3.9%) below the year-ago level of 3,553 Bcf, but hold a 79 Bcf (+2.4%) surplus relative to the 5-year average of 3,336 Bcf. The injection was heavily concentrated in the East and Midwest consuming regions, which together accounted for 50 Bcf of the total build.

Storage Snapshot

• Total Lower 48 Inventories: 3,415 Bcf
• Net Change / Implied Flow: +64 Bcf build (vs. 3,351 Bcf in the prior week)
• Historical Comparisons: -138 Bcf (-3.9%) vs. year-ago (3,553 Bcf); +79 Bcf (+2.4%) vs. 5-year average (3,336 Bcf)
• Revisions/Reclassifications: None reported (flags: false)

Regional Dynamics

• East: Injected +25 Bcf to reach 840 Bcf (+1.4% vs. year-ago, +4.6% vs. 5-year avg).
• Midwest: Injected +25 Bcf to reach 984 Bcf (+1.7% vs. year-ago, +2.9% vs. 5-year avg).
• Mountain: Injected +4 Bcf to reach 248 Bcf (-7.8% vs. year-ago, +6.4% vs. 5-year avg).
• Pacific: Injected +3 Bcf to reach 295 Bcf (-2.3% vs. year-ago, +8.9% vs. 5-year avg).
• South Central: Injected a net +7 Bcf to reach 1,048 Bcf (-11.7% vs. year-ago, -2.4% vs. 5-year avg).
  • Salt: Drew -4 Bcf to 213 Bcf (-27.3% vs. year-ago, -15.5% vs. 5-year avg).
  • Nonsalt: Injected +9 Bcf to 834 Bcf (-6.6% vs. year-ago, +1.5% vs. 5-year avg).

Implications

The +64 Bcf net injection reflects seasonal shoulder-month demand patterns, with northern regions aggressively refilling ahead of the winter heating season. The Northern consuming regions (East and Midwest) continue to build comfortable cushions relative to their 5-year averages (+4.6% and +2.9%, respectively).

Conversely, the South Central region displays continued tightness, particularly within salt cavern facilities, which experienced an implied net draw of -4 Bcf and sit 15.5% below historical norms. This regional divergence points to steady power burn or sustained LNG feedgas pull in the Gulf Coast. In the near term, the overall storage trajectory keeps natural gas balances relatively balanced-to-loose nationally, likely maintaining range-bound price action for NG futures as the market weighs comfortable overall inventories against deficit conditions in Gulf salt storage.

Risks and Context

• Shoulder Season Weather: Moderate autumn temperatures typically extend injection momentum through October. An early-season cold snap could quickly reverse injections in the Midwest and East, while late-season heat in the South could strain salt inventories further.
• LNG Feedgas and Export Outages: South Central salt storage remains the primary buffer for export demand; any operational swings in Gulf Coast LNG terminals or pipeline maintenance will directly impact regional injection rates.
• End-of-Season Trajectory: With total working gas at 3,415 Bcf at the end of September, Lower 48 inventories are well-positioned to approach or exceed 3.8 Tcf before peak withdrawal season, providing a substantial baseline buffer heading into winter.