The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration reported that natural gas in storage shrank by 95 billion cubic feet to 1.781 trillion cubic feet for the week ended March 22.
Analysts expected a draw of 83 billion to 87 billion cubic feet, according to a survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.
The inventory level was 3.5 percent above the five-year average of 1.720 trillion cubic feet, and 26.5 percent below last year's level of 2.423 trillion cubic feet, according to the government data.
Natural gas futures were unchanged at $4.07 per 1,000 cubic feet in New York. |