1048 ET - U.S. natural gas inventories increased by 53 billion cubic feet last week to 3,351 Bcf, reducing the storage surplus over the five-year average to 95 Bcf from 118 Bcf the week before, the EIA reports. The net injection into underground facilities was smaller than the 76 Bcf average increase for the week, and landed in line with the 53 Bcf estimate in a WSJ survey of analysts. Nymex natural gas futures are steady in the wake of the report, trading at $3.0230/mmBtu.