Yes. It's the EIA's own Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report — the number traders watch every Thursday — refreshed on the report's real weekly schedule, not simulated.

Does it need an API key?

The saver itself doesn't, but the site's data pipeline does: a free EIA API key (eia.gov/opendata) must be configured, then the feed builds automatically. Without it the saver says so on screen.

Does it work offline?

No. It reads a small JSON feed over the internet; offline it shows a short notice instead of stale numbers.

Yes — free, no download, in your browser, and the EIA key it relies on is free too. ESC exits.

What do the band and dashed line mean?

For each week of the year, the band spans the highest and lowest storage level seen in the previous five years, and the dashed line is their average — the seasonal 'normal' the current year is judged against.

What is the difference between working gas and base gas?

Working gas is the volume above the base level and is available to the market, while base or cushion gas stays in the reservoir to maintain pressure and deliverability. The weekly report covers working gas.

Why is storage reported in Bcf?

A billion cubic feet is a convenient unit for the volumes involved; the EIA reports stocks and weekly net changes in Bcf for the Lower 48 states and each region.

What drives the weekly injection or withdrawal?

Mainly temperatures, since cold or hot weather changes heating and power demand, along with production levels and exports.

Natural Gas Storage Levels Screensaver

The Natural Gas Storage Levels screensaver charts real US working gas in underground storage (Bcf) from the EIA's Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report, over a shaded 5-year band with a dashed average line. The data pipeline needs a free EIA API key. It's free, needs an internet connection, and ESC exits.

How the Natural Gas Storage Levels screensaver works

A pipeline script pulls the EIA Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (Lower 48 working gas) into content/gasstorage.json — it needs a free EIA API key, and until one is set the saver shows a plain notice.

Each week carries its own 5-year context: the shaded band spans the 5-year min–max for that week of the year, and the dashed line is the 5-year average.

The bold accent line is the current year, so you can see instantly whether storage is running above, inside or below its normal seasonal range.

The headline shows the latest level in Bcf, the week's injection (green) or withdrawal (red), and how far the level sits from the 5-year average.

Why natural gas storage follows the seasons

Natural gas demand in the United States swings with the weather, rising in cold months for heating and in hot ones for power generation, so storage is used to even out the difference between supply and demand. Gas is generally injected into underground storage when demand is low and withdrawn when demand peaks. Storage sites include depleted oil and gas fields, which are the most common type, aquifers and salt caverns.

The EIA's weekly report measures working gas, the volume above the base (cushion) gas that stays in the reservoir to maintain pressure and deliverability. Working gas is the gas available to the market. Volumes are in billion cubic feet, abbreviated Bcf, and the report covers the Lower 48 states, divided into five regions: East, Midwest, Mountain, Pacific and South Central. Stocks are reported as of a Friday and released the following Thursday at 10:30 a.m., so they reflect the situation a few days earlier.

Because the level shifts seasonally, the useful comparison is with the same week in earlier years, which is what a five-year band offers. Storage above the average can indicate ample supply, and below it a tighter market, though prices also depend on weather forecasts, exports, production and pipeline constraints. The report publishes estimates with statistical error measures, so a single week should not be over-read.

A worked example

In a mild November you might see the bold line riding the top of the shaded band with a headline like 3,912 Bcf · ▲ +28 Bcf injection · +5.2% vs 5-yr avg — a comfortably supplied market. In Multi-view it pairs naturally with the Weekly Oil Inventories saver for a full energy-stocks wall.

Settings & tips

Show 5-year band — hides or shows the shaded min–max range if you prefer just the current line and dashed average.

Frequently asked questions

Is this real data?: Yes. It's the EIA's own Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report — the number traders watch every Thursday — refreshed on the report's real weekly schedule, not simulated.
Does it need an API key?: The saver itself doesn't, but the site's data pipeline does: a free EIA API key (eia.gov/opendata) must be configured, then the feed builds automatically. Without it the saver says so on screen.
Does it work offline?: No. It reads a small JSON feed over the internet; offline it shows a short notice instead of stale numbers.
Is it free?: Yes — free, no download, in your browser, and the EIA key it relies on is free too. ESC exits.
What do the band and dashed line mean?: For each week of the year, the band spans the highest and lowest storage level seen in the previous five years, and the dashed line is their average — the seasonal 'normal' the current year is judged against.
What is the difference between working gas and base gas?: Working gas is the volume above the base level and is available to the market, while base or cushion gas stays in the reservoir to maintain pressure and deliverability. The weekly report covers working gas.
Why is storage reported in Bcf?: A billion cubic feet is a convenient unit for the volumes involved; the EIA reports stocks and weekly net changes in Bcf for the Lower 48 states and each region.
What drives the weekly injection or withdrawal?: Mainly temperatures, since cold or hot weather changes heating and power demand, along with production levels and exports.

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