RPT-POLL-US natural gas stockpiles likely rose by 80 billion cubic feet last week

April 29 (Reuters) - U.S. energy firms likely added 80 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas into storage last week, according to the average estimate in a Reuters poll released on Wednesday.

The estimate compares with an injection of 105 bcf during the same week a year ago and an average increase of 63 bcf over the past five years (2021-2025) for the week.

In the prior week ended April 17, energy firms added 103 bcf of gas into storage. USOILN=ECI

If correct, the forecast for the week ended April 24 would increase stockpiles to 2.143 trillion cubic feet. That figure would be about 5.8% above the level of the same week a year ago and about 7.7% above the five-year average for the week.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration is scheduled to release its weekly storage report at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on Thursday.

There were 71 total degree days (TDDs) last week, below the 30-year normal of 79 TDDs for the period, data from financial firm LSEG showed.

Total degree days measure the number of degrees a day's average temperature is above or below 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) to estimate demand to cool or heat homes and businesses.

Reuters polled 12 analysts, whose estimates ranged from injections of 73 bcf to 87 bcf, with a median increase of 81 bcf.

Early estimates for the week ending May 1 ranged from injections of 47 bcf to 88 bcf, with an average increase of 72 bcf.

Those figures compare with an injection of 104 bcf during the same week last year and a five-year average increase of 77 bcf.

Following is a list of poll participants. All figures are in billion cubic feet: