What The August 13 Report Shows
EIA reported a 36 Bcf net injection into Lower 48 storage for the week ending August 7, bringing total working gas to 3,153 Bcf. Stocks were 25 Bcf below the year-earlier level and 198 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,955 Bcf.
Compared with the August 6 report, KilowattLogic calculates that the weekly build increased by 3 Bcf and the five-year surplus widened by 3 Bcf. The year-over-year deficit moved the other direction, widening by 13 Bcf. The national refill path remains above normal, but it has not moved above last year and the regional table remains uneven.
| Region | Working Gas | Weekly Change | Vs 5-Yr Avg | Vs Year Ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | 693 Bcf | +15 Bcf | +5.0% | +2.8% |
| Midwest | 829 Bcf | +20 Bcf | +7.1% | +4.5% |
| Mountain | 239 Bcf | +2 Bcf | +14.4% | -5.2% |
| Pacific | 300 Bcf | -4 Bcf | +13.6% | -1.6% |
| South Central | 1,093 Bcf | +3 Bcf | +4.3% | -5.2% |
| South Central salt | 286 Bcf | -6 Bcf | +10.0% | -3.1% |
| South Central nonsalt | 807 Bcf | +9 Bcf | +2.5% | -5.9% |
Commercial Buyer Read
| Signal | Market Read | Buyer Move |
|---|---|---|
| 36 Bcf injection | The Lower 48 build was 3 Bcf larger than the prior report and lifted working gas to 3,153 Bcf. | Keep heat, LNG feedgas, production, and power burn in the procurement read instead of turning one weekly build into a price forecast. |
| 198 Bcf above five-year average | KilowattLogic calculates that the national surplus widened by 3 Bcf from the August 6 report. | Use the cushion as national supply context, then test regional basis, delivery tariffs, and contract pass-through terms separately. |
| 25 Bcf below last year | KilowattLogic calculates that the year-over-year deficit widened by 13 Bcf; inventories trailed August 7, 2025 by 0.8%. | Describe the balance as above the five-year average but below last year; do not collapse the two comparisons. |
| Pacific and salt withdrawals | Pacific withdrew 4 Bcf and South Central salt withdrew 6 Bcf even as the Lower 48 posted a net injection. | Keep western, Gulf Coast, LNG-linked, and basis-sensitive exposures separate from the national headline. |
What Not To Infer
- A 36 Bcf injection does not guarantee lower delivered natural gas or electricity rates.
- A national surplus does not remove local basis, pipeline-constraint, LNG-feedgas, or high-demand risk.
- Weekly storage data is not a supplier quote; tariff class, load shape, delivery charges, and contract terms still determine the bill.
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report for week ending August 7, 2026, released August 13, 2026; EIA weekly storage JSON, CSV, and summary text.