us government naturalgas data due thursday are expected to show inventories increased last week by an aboveaverage amount as production increased and demand cooled off the energy information administration is expected to report that gasinstorage levels increased by 95 billion cubic feet during the week ended sept 16 according to the average forecast of 12 analysts brokers and traders surveyed by the wall street journal the eia is scheduled to release its naturalgas storage data for the week at 1030 am et thursday estimates range from increases of 87 bcf to 104 bcf the average forecast compares with a 77bcf increase in storage last year and a 81bcf fiveyearaverage rise a 95bcf increase last week would mean gas stocks totaled 2866 trillion cubic feet 7 below last years total at this time and 11 below the fiveyear average for this time of year the market has maintained a bullish inventory deficit compared with averages throughout 2022 as a cold winter and then a hot june and july offset a reduction in feedgas demand due to the june 8 shutdown of the freeport lng plant in texas august and early september however have seen a bearish increase in domestic production along with more seasonal weather patterns and thats causing the storage deficit to narrow slightly