Weekly storage of natural gas in U.S. increases: EIA

HOUSTON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Working gas storage in the contiguous United States was 2,930 billion cubic feet in the week ending July 7, a net increase of 49 billion cubic feet from the previous week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Thursday in a report.

The total working gas storage rose 24.1 percent from this time last year, or up 14.2 percent above the five-year average, according to the EIA's Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report.

The figure for the previous week ending June 30 was revised to 2,881 billion cubic feet, the report noted.

The storage of working gas in the United States usually turns to decrease in November and continues to drop in April when heating season ends in the country, according to previous data.

Working gas is defined as the amount of natural gas stored underground that can be withdrawn for use. Its storage capacity can be measured in two ways: design capacity and demonstrated maximum working gas capacity.

The contiguous United States consists of the country's 48 adjoining states plus Washington, D.C., and excludes the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii and all off-shore insular areas.