The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday reported an injection of 86 Bcf natural gas into storage for the week ended Sept. 29. The result fell short of market expectations for a build in the 90s Bcf, bolstering Nymex natural gas futures.

Analysts cited lower production levels in the Permian Basin, where maintenance work in late September – and continuing early this month – likely prevented utilities from stowing away as much gas as analysts had expected.

Analyst James Bevan of Criterion Research noted that, among other projects, Kinder Morgan Inc. has scaled back flows along its Permian Highway Pipeline for repair and upgrade work. “That’ll help keep prices up,” he said on the online energy platform Enelyst.

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