The US Energy Information Administration reported underground natural gas storage across the Lower 48 states rose 30 bcf for the week ended Aug. 25.
The Weekly Natural Storage Gas Report showed gas storage at 3.155 tcf, down 239 bcf from the same period a year ago. The current level was 8 bcf above the 5-year average.
Separately, EIA statistics also showed Lower 48 gas production rose to a high for 2017 of 81.4 bcfd in June, the agency said Aug. 31. Texas led the rise in gas production followed by Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Ohio.
But analysts expect US gas production likely will fall sharply because of production shut-ins offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and onshore in the South Texas Eagle Ford play. Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Corpus Christi, Tex., on Aug. 25, before being downgraded to a tropical storm as it flooded Houston and East Texas.
Meanwhile, gas futures prices rose on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Aug. 31 (OGJ Online, Aug. 31, 2017).
