End of Month Working Gas in Storage
Sources: History: EIA; Projections: Short-Term Energy Outlook, November 2000
Notes:
The level of gas in storage at the end of the last heating season (March 31, 2000) was 1,150 billion cubic feet (Bcf), just above the 1995-1999 average of 1,139 Bcf.
Underground working gas storage levels are currently about 8-9 percent below year-ago levels.
In large part, this is because injection rates since April 1 have been below average.
Storage injections picked up recently due to warm weather in the last half of October. The month of November is generally the last month available in the year for injections into storage. A cold November would curtail net injections into storage.
If net injections continue at average levels this winter, we project that storage levels will be low all winter, reaching a level of 818 Bcf at the end of March, the lowest level since 1996.