US natural gas supplies grew last week

[April 06, 2012]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The nation's natural gas supplies rose last week, the government said Thursday.

The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration reported that natural gas in storage grew by 42 billion cubic feet to 2.479 trillion cubic feet for the week ended March 30.

Analysts expected a rise of 33 billion to 37 billion cubic feet, according to a survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

The inventory level was 60.5 percent above the five-year average of 1.545 trillion cubic feet, and 55.7 percent above last year's level of 1.592 trillion cubic feet, according to the government data.

Natural gas futures fell 1 cent to $2.1350 per 1,000 cubic feet in New York.

[Associated Press]

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