Working gas in storage was 3,297 Bcf as of Friday, January 15, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 178 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 629 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 473 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,824 Bcf. At 3,297 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.

EIA Estimated withdrawal  183 Bcf.

Vs

Actual withdrawal 178 Bcf.

EIA to estimate season’s largest draw Increased demand last week in the Midwest and South Central regions prompted energy experts to predict last week’s natural gas storage withdrawals will be the largest so far of the heating season. A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration on Thursday will estimate a gas storage withdrawal of between 183 Bcf and 187 Bcf for the reporting week that ended January 15.  A withdrawal within expectations would be less than the 220-Bcf withdrawal reported at this time in 2015 and more than the 177-Bcf fiveyear average withdrawal, according to EIA data. There was not much disparity in the predictions this week as the full range of analysts’ expectations all fell between a drawdown of 175 Bcf to 191 Bcf. This looks to be the largest withdrawal of the heating season, and the first withdrawal that is more than the five-year average since the week that ended December 4. However, it would still be 35 Bcf less than the withdrawal at this time last year.

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