Houston, Oct 21 (IANS): Working gas storage in the contiguous US was 3,342 billion cubic feet in the week ending October 14, a net increase of 111 billion cubic feet from the previous week, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has said in a latest report.

The total working gas storage decreased by 3.1 per cent from this time last year, or down 5.2 per cent from the five-year average, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the EIA's Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report.

The storage of working gas in the US usually turns to decrease in November and continues to drop in April when heating season ends in the country, according to previous data.

Working gas is defined as the amount of natural gas stored underground that can be withdrawn for use. Its storage capacity can be measured in two ways: design capacity and demonstrated maximum working gas capacity.

The contiguous US consists of the country's 48 adjoining states, plus the District of Columbia, and excludes the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii, and all off-shore insular areas.