US energy companies added 80 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas to storage in the week ended October 23, exceeding market expectations for an injection of 75 bcf. Total gas inventories rose to 3.724 trillion cubic feet, standing 3.8% below year-earlier levels but 1% above the five-year average for this time of year. The latest figures followed an injection of 77 bcf in the previous week ended October 16, indicating that storage additions accelerated on a weekly basis.