The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Thursday morning that U.S. natural gas stocks increased by 90 billion cubic feet for the week ending September 12, compared with an expected increase of 88 billion to 92 billion cubic feet anticipated by analysts. The five-year average gain for the week is 60 billion cubic feet.

Natural gas futures were trading down about 0.7% in advance of the EIA’s report, at around $4.05 per million BTUs, and slipped further to $3.96 immediately following the report. Natural gas futures have risen by about $0.12 per million BTUs since last week.

Stockpiles are about 12.2% below their levels of a year ago and about 13.3% below the five-year average. The rise in U.S. stockpiles is still on course for a record April through October injection record. The start of the heating season is likely to see U.S. stockpiles at around 3.55 trillion cubic feet, the lowest level since 2008 but still adequate. Last year’s injection season ended with 3.8 trillion cubic feet in inventory.

Bernstein Research last week cut its 2015 natural gas price forecast from a $4.50 per million cubic feet to $4.00 per million cubic feet, according to Platts. The research firm expects natural gas production to increase by a net 3 billion cubic feet per day in 2015, while demand grows by just 1.2 billion cubic feet per day. The higher production will continue as long as the wet gas plays in the Marcellus, Utica and Eagle Ford shales increase along with crude oil production.

The EIA reported that U.S. working stocks of natural gas totaled 2.89 trillion cubic feet, about 444 billion cubic feet below the five-year average of 3.36 trillion cubic feet. Working gas in storage totaled 3.29 trillion cubic feet for the same period a year ago. Natural gas inventories continue to rise, but remain well below the bottom of the five-year range.

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Here is how stocks of the largest U.S. natural gas producers reacting to this latest report:

Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), the country’s largest producer of natural gas, was up about 0.1%, at $97.12 in a 52-week range of $84.79 to $104.76.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) was down about 1%, at $25.10 in a 52-week range of $22.63 to $29.92.

EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG) was up fractionally at $105.24. The 52-week range is $78.01 to $118.89.

The United States Natural Gas ETF (NYSEMKT: UNG) was down about 2%, at $21.42 in a 52-week range of $16.91 to $27.89.

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