US EIA plans to launch monthly LNG storage inventory survey

The US Energy Information Administration said it wants to begin tracking LNG storage volumes and is in the process of designing a monthly storage survey for that commodity. EIA would "collect data on the inventory levels of LNG and operational capacities of active LNG storage facilities in the United States," according to a notice in the Federal Register.
"This request for clearance was necessitated by the increasing role of LNG storage as a source of natural gas supply, especially during periods of peak demand." Comments on the proposal are due by Nov 17.

The survey, as initially proposed, would include all operators of facilities to store LNG for baseload, seasonal and peak-demand delivery, and also would include LNG inventories held by local distribution companies, pipelines, liquefaction facilities, LNG wholesalers and marine terminals providing peaking storage.
The new survey would not include LNG inventories held by any industrial, residential, commercial or power-generation customer for ultimate consumption.

"EIA may eventually consider the value of a weekly sample survey of LNG inventories after the monthly survey is operating in a stable manner and if evidence indicates that greater timeliness of data would enhance understanding of the overall natural gas supply situation," the agency said.
Respondents would include approximately 100 LNG storage facilities in the US -- the total number estimated to be currently active. EIA assumed the weekly natural gas storage inventory survey from the American Gas Association in 2002.