US natgas pares gains after storage data; heat forecasts keep prices near one-month high

That figure was lower than the 20-bcf build analysts forecast in a Reuters poll and compares with an injection of 17 bcf during the same week a year ago and an average increase for that week of 33 bcf over the past five years (2021-2025). In the prior week ended August 14, energy firms added 16 bcf of gas to storage.

Traders will be "looking at the weather going into the end of the weekend, if the heat stays in the forecast, natural gas has a chance to make another run later," added Flynn.

Meteorologists forecast mostly warmer-than-normal temperatures through September 11, as Cooling Degree Days rose to 210 on Thursday. CDDs, which measure energy demand to cool buildings, have been above normal compared with only around 114 this time last year.

Financial group LSEG said average gas output in the U.S. Lower 48 states has reached 111.4 billion cubic feet per day so far in August, up from a monthly record high of 110.7 bcfd in July.

Average gas flows to the nine big U.S. LNG export plants stand at 17.1 bcfd so far in August, slightly down from 17.2 bcfd in July and a monthly record high of 17.4 bcfd in June.