Withdrawals of natural gas from U.S. underground storage facilities totaled 1,707 billion cubic feet (Bcf) during the 2022–23 heating season (November 1 to March 31), after subtracting occasional injections, according to our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR). This recent heating season’s natural gas withdrawals were the lowest since the 2015–16 winter heating season. After entering the heating season at a 3% deficit to the five-year start-of-winter average, working natural gas in underground storage facilities in the Lower 48 states totaled 1,830 Bcf as of March 31, 2023, exceeding the previous five-year average (2018–22) for that time of year by 19% (294 Bcf). Continued growth in U.S. natural gas production and reduced space heating consumption due to relatively mild winter temperatures accounted for less natural gas withdrawn this winter—despite increased use in electric generation.
